Podcasts about Midwife

Donna Ockenden is a former clinical midwife who led the Ockenden Review which revealed, at the time, the biggest maternity scandal in NHS history. Published in 2022, the review highlighted serious failings in maternity care at the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust which contributed to the deaths of more than 200 babies and nine mothers.Donna grew up in the village of Aberaman in the Welsh Valleys. She experienced a complicated childhood which included a period living in a homeless shelter along with her mother and four siblings. She is also a survivor of sexual abuse and believes her background helped her develop a tenacity and determination which she went on to apply to her work.She completed her nursing training in Swansea and Neath and trained as a midwife at the Portsmouth School of Midwifery. In 2015 she became Senior Midwifery Adviser to the Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). In May 2022 she was appointed chair of the independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust which will be published next year. It is already the largest investigation into a single service in the NHS, hearing evidence from over 2,000 families so far.Donna lives in Chichester with her two cats.Details of organisations offering information and support with child sexual abuse or child bereavement are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.DISC ONE: We've Only Just Begun - The Carpenters DISC TWO: Bye Bye Baby - Bay City Rollers DISC THREE: Ukulele Lady - Ethel Merman DISC FOUR: Isn't It Amazing - Hothouse Flowers DISC FIVE: If Only - Hazel O'Connor DISC SIX: I Can See Clearly Now - Hothouse Flowers DISC SEVEN: We'll Keep a Welcome - Harry Secombe DISC EIGHT: Francesca - Hozier BOOK CHOICE: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë LUXURY ITEM: Red lipstick CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: I Can See Clearly Now - Hothouse FlowersPresenter Lauren Laverne Producer Paula McGinley

Elizabeth Oldfield is one of my wisest pals and I am so glad she agreed to come on The First Six Months. We talked about leading a ThinkTank whilst being secretly pregnant (spoiler:no one noticed), the pros and cons of having a Midwife for a mother and missing that soft, soft baby. Elizabeth is the host of @sacred_podcast - an exploration in talking to people different than ourselves.

244: This week, I'm joined by Lindsey Meehleis, a certified midwife, doula, lactation consultant, EMT, CPR instructor, and neonatal resuscitation provider. Lindsey brings a truly holistic approach to birth, and our conversation dives deep into the importance of honoring the natural physiology of labor. As someone on my own fertility journey, I asked all the questions I've been curious about — from how to find a midwife to what real support during birth looks like. We explore the over-medicalization of birth in the Western world, how to prepare for a more empowered and informed birthing experience, and why individualized care matters so much. Lindsey's wisdom and passion for supporting women through this rite of passage is incredibly inspiring — I left this conversation wanting her by my side when I give birth someday. Topics Discussed: What is the difference between a midwife and a doula? How can I prepare for a natural birth in a medicalized world? Are epidurals and Pitocin necessary for every labor? What are the risks of relying on baby formula over breastfeeding? How to find a trustworthy midwife or doula? Sponsored By: Our Place | Use code REALFOODOLOGY for 10% off at fromourplace.com Timeline | Go to timelinenutrition.com/REALFOODOLOGY and use code REALFOODOLOGY for 10% off Qualia | Go to qualialife.com/REALFOODOLOGY for up to 50% off and use code REALFOODOLOGY at checkout for an additional 15% off. Pique | Piquelife.com/Realfoodology That's P-I-Q-U-E life dot com/REALFOODOLOGY.  Graza | So head to Graza.co and use REALFOODOLOGY to get 10% off of TRIO which includes Sizzle, Frizzle and Drizzle, and get to cookin' your next chef-quality meal! Cozy Earth | Go to cozyearth.com and Use code REALFOODOLOGY for 40% off best-selling sheets, pajamas, and more. Trust me, you won't regret it.   Timestamps:  00:00:00 – Introduction 00:03:42 – How birth became medicalized 00:06:51 – The "PuberTea" and early health education 00:08:17 – Navigating pregnancy in the Western world 00:13:18 – Epidurals, fentanyl, and early latching challenges 00:18:10 – The risks of baby formula 00:22:25 – The impact of high fructose corn syrup 00:24:14 – Maternity leave and postpartum support 00:26:34 – Latching tips & working with lactation consultants 00:31:51 – The truth about breastfeeding 00:33:46 – A brief history of birth practices 00:35:01 – C-sections, vaginal seeding, and gut health 00:37:40 – Learning to trust your body 00:39:31 – Pitocin, natural birth, and informed choices 00:44:11 – Advocacy and the MAHA Mom Coalition 00:48:44 – Environmental toxins: Glyphosate and fertility 00:51:52 – Understanding gestational diabetes 00:55:40 – Birth centers vs. hospitals 01:00:04 – How to find a midwife or doula 01:02:13 – Managing emergencies during birth 01:07:10 – Why individualized birth care matters 01:09:10 – Midwife vs. Doula: What's the difference? 01:10:53 – Addressing concerns about home birth 01:13:58 – Where to find Lindsey Meehleis Show Links: Sperm counts have declined by over 50% globally The U.S. fertility rate has dropped from 2.48 in 1970 to just 1.64 toda The U.S. maternal mortality rate has increased by over 60% in two years Black women are 2.6 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than white women. Hispanic maternal mortality rates The World Needs 900,000 More Midwives Breastfeeding rates Worker protections need to be implemented Check Out Lindsey:  Instagram https://www.theremembering.com/media https://www.maha-mom-coalition.com/ Check Out Courtney:  LEAVE US A VOICE MESSAGE Check Out My new FREE Grocery Guide! @realfoodology www.realfoodology.com My Immune Supplement by 2x4 Air Dr Air Purifier AquaTru Water Filter EWG Tap Water Database Produced By: Drake Peterson

If you've been following the journey of Amelia Lamont, you'll already know that she's an absolute hoot. And if you haven't been, then you're in for a treat. She's real, she's raw, she doesn't take herself too seriously, and yet, she's managed to build The Midwife Mama empire while raising four children. And here, she tell us all about it. Why she still works as a midwife even though financially, she doesn't need to. How she's built The Midwife Mumma into what it is today, and what it's been like to go from the mum that never wanted to return to paid work, to becoming the primary breadwinner.---This episode is brought to you by Ocean Thinkers, a social enterprise on a mission to inspire the next generation to learn more about our ocean, make a positive impact and be part of a hopeful future.By providing educational and creative experiences (through events, apparel and a membership-based Ocean Thinkers Club), this mum-led initiative is all about increasing our children's knowledge and awareness of their Sea Country while reinvesting ALL profits in local ocean conservation. Children have the power to tackle ocean conservation head-on and Ocean Thinkers is here to help them.Shop their beautiful limited edition apparel range and join the Ocean Thinkers Club now at oceanthinkers.com.au---Thanks for listening to Witching Hour! If you liked the show, please tell your friends, subscribe or write a review.You can also find us on Instagram:@readyornot.pod@laurentreweek_@lucindamckimm_This podcast was recorded on the lands of the Boon Wurong people of the Kulin Nation. The land on which we're lucky enough to raise our sons and daughters always was and always will be Aboriginal land.We Pay The Rent and you can too.

In part 2 of this Healthful Woman Podcast episode, Dr. Nathan Fox continues his conversation with Israeli Midwife Chani Turk. They discuss how the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel dramatically altered her professional and personal life. Despite the chaos, Chani continues to provide care, with notable changes like allowing family members to stay with mothers during epidurals to offer comfort. Chani's firsthand experience offers a deeply emotional and insightful look into the impact of the tragedy on everyday life, both at work and in the community.

In the final part of our biblical tour of Egypt on All of Life for God, we survey some of the mysteries and lessons from the book of Exodus, answering big questions about God's sovereignty, the life of Moses, Egypt's pagan religious life, and more. These episodes are provided by Reformation Heritage Books and Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.Check out Our Great Redeemer, Glorifying and Enjoying God, Spurgeon: A Life, and Paul Washer's books here Check out the Puritan Treasures for Today, Spurgeon's Sermons, the Family Worship Bible Guide, and the writings of Dr. Joel Beeke. Thank you for listening to All of Life for God by Reformation Heritage Books. If you enjoyed this episode and would like to hear more, please consider subscribing and sharing with a friend. Reformation Heritage Books is a non-profit ministry that aims to strengthen the Church through Reformed, Puritan, and experiential literature. To learn more about this ministry and how to support us, please visit rhb.org.

In this conversation with renowned midwife and pre- and perinatal somatic psychology guide, Mary Jackson, we explore our earliest imprints and the impact they have on us as we grow. If you enjoyed this episode, please help get it to others by subscribing, rating the show, or sharing it with a friend! You can also pitch in to support the show once or monthly at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/meganleatherman Resources Mentioned: *A Wild New Work events: https://awildnewwork.com/events *Meghan Schoneberger's energy healing work: https://www.cosmicharmonyhealing.com/ *The Ray Castellino Foundation training: https://castellinotraining.com/ *Mary Jackson's website: https://birthinconnection.com/ About Mary Jackson: Mary Jackson has been married since 1987, is the mother of 2 children who were born at home, and has been featured in 11 books and 5 movies. Mary has been a home birth Midwife since 1975. She has attended over 2,500 births in the Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Ojai, California areas and is now attending the home births of her second generation of babies. She is a certified Castellino Process Workshop Leader and co-teaches the Castellino Pre and Perinatal Training. In the first year after incorporating these pre and perinatal approaches in her midwifery practice her home to hospital transfer rate went from 20% to 6%. Mary is participating in cutting edge research about imprints that occur around the time of conception, pregnancy and birth and how they affect us throughout the rest of our lives and what it takes to heal from challenges in these experiences. She is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and leads trainings throughout the world.

Jesse shares the heroic story of her first birth experience—a three-day labor supported by a traditional midwife and her husband. We discuss how she stayed mentally strong throughout the intense journey, and reflect on how differently things might have unfolded had she been in a hospital setting. First-time mothers who choose trust over fear inspire me, and Jesse is no exception! If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at contactus@healingbirth.net Check out the website for lots of other birth related offerings, and personalized support: www.healingbirth.net Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

This episode has been a long time coming! Liz and Shaina interviewed midwife Naomi Drucker of the Los Angeles Midwives. She explains her journey to becoming a midwife and what it would look like if you chose to work with her for your prenatal care and giving birth. Take a listen and check out her website. If you want to get in touch with Naomi, you can follow her on instagram and send her a DM or email her at midwives@losangelesmidwives.com.We invite you to email us, DM us on instagram, or find some other way to contact us and tell us your thoughts.For more information about us, our birth education businesses, and the classes we teach, visit our websites and instagram profiles:Shaina--virtual or in person birth and breastfeeding classes and lactation consults in LAEmail: shaina@preparented.com⁠instagram.com/preparented⁠⁠www.preparented.com⁠Liz--virtual and in person birth and c-section classes in LA/Santa MonicaEmail: Liz@birthandbeyond.net⁠instagram.com/birthnurseliz⁠⁠www.birthandbeyond.net⁠

Send me a DM here (it doesn't let me respond), OR email me: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comToday I'm honored to introduce you all to: Former UK NHS Midwife and midwife whistleblower, loving mother and devoted wife, compassionate and fearless protector and saver of life, content creator, healer, author, speaker, and a woman who won't be silenced about what she calls ‘The Biggest Scandal in UK History': Victoria Rixon Victoria Rixon's story is one of courage, compassion, and an unyielding quest for truth - a midwife who transformed from a guardian of life within the NHS to a fearless whistleblower exposing its darkest corners. Born with a heart attuned to care, Victoria spent years nurturing the miracle of birth, guiding countless mothers through their most sacred moments. A mother and a devoted wife, her life has been shaped by a deep-rooted belief in the sanctity of human connection and the power of standing up for what's right.For over one decades, Victoria served as an NHS midwife, her hands steady and her spirit resolute, delivering babies and hope in equal measure. Yet, beneath the surface of her calling, she began to witness a troubling reality - a system she once trusted unraveling into one marred by corruption, neglect, and betrayal. The turning point came on February 9, 2024, when Victoria made the heart-wrenching decision to walk away from the NHS - not out of surrender, but out of a fierce refusal to be complicit in what she describes as “crimes against humanity.” This wasn't the end of her journey, but the beginning of a bold new chapter.Now known as “The Uncensored Midwife,” Victoria has emerged as a beacon of awakening, peeling back the layers of a healthcare system she believes has lost its way. Through her platform, she reveals harrowing truths - baby deaths swept under the rug, a vaccine cover-up threatening lives, and a mass exodus of midwives crushed by a broken institution. Her voice, once confined to maternity wards, now echoes across the UK and beyond, amplified by her fearless resolve to protect the vulnerable and hold power to account.Despite facing threats, lies, and abuse aimed at silencing her, Victoria stands undeterred. Founder of the With Woman Movement, she channels her expertise and empathy into advocating for safer maternity care, empowering women, and inspiring a global reckoning. With the wisdom of a seasoned healer and the fire of a warrior, Victoria Rixon is more than a whistleblower - she's a force of nature and a mother to a movement - proving that one voice, rooted in love and truth, can shake the foundations of even the mightiest systems. Her legacy is inevitable - a testament to the power of resilience and the enduring call to make a difference.CONNECT WITH VICTORIA: Twitter / X: @victoria.rixon - https://x.com/Victoria_RixonCONNECT WITH THE IMAGINATION:EMAIL: imagineabetterworld2020@gmail.comMy Substack: https://emmakatherine.substack.com/BUY ME A COFFEE: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/theimaginationAll links: https://direct.me/theimaginationpodcastRIFE TECHNOLOGIES: https://realrifetechnology.com/15% Code: 420CZTL METHELENE BLUE:https://cztl.bz?ref=2BzG1Free Shipping Code: IMAGINATIONSupport the show

*Content warning: Pregnancy loss, miscarriage, death of a child, infant loss, death, birth trauma, medical trauma, medical neglect, racism, mature and stressful themes. *Free + Confidential Resources + Safety Tips: somethingwaswrong.com/resources Moms Advocating For MomsS23 survivors Markeda, Kristen and Amanda have created a nonprofit, Moms Advocating for Moms, in hopes to create a future where maternal well-being is prioritized, disparities are addressed, and every mother has the resources and support she needs to thrive: https://www.momsadvocatingformoms.org/take-actionhttps://linktr.ee/momsadvocatingformoms Please sign the survivors petitions below to improve midwifery education and regulation in Texashttps://www.change.org/p/improve-midwifery-education-and-regulation-in-texas?recruiter=1336781649&recruited_by_id=74bf3b50-fd98-11ee-9e3f-a55a14340b5a&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_for_starters_page&utm_medium=copylink *Sources:American College of Nurse Midwiveshttps://midwife.org/ American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)https://www.acog.org/ A Midwife's Approach to Getting Labor Startedhttps://avivaromm.com/labor-induction-low-natural-approaches-midwife-md/ Bathing Your Babyhttps://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/Bathing-Your-Newborn.aspx Fetal presentation before birthhttps://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-positions/art-20546850 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/php/resources/health-insurance-portability-and-accountability-act-of-1996-hipaa.html#:~:text=The%20Health%20Insurance%20Portability%20and,from%20disclosure%20without%20patient's%20consent. March of Dimeshttps://www.marchofdimes.org/peristats/about-us National Midwifery Institutehttps://www.nationalmidwiferyinstitute.com/midwifery North American Registry of Midwives (NARM)https://narm.org/ Office for Civil Rightshttps://www.hhs.gov/ocr/index.html State investigating Dallas birth center and midwives, following multiple complaints from patientshttps://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/investigates/state-investigating-dallas-birth-center-midwives-following-multiple-complaints-from-patients/287-ea77eb18-c637-44d4-aaa2-fe8fd7a2fcef Texas Administrative Code Title 26, Chapter 503 - Birthing Centershttps://regulations.justia.com/states/texas/title-26/part-1/chapter-503/subchapter-d/section-503-34/ Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/ Texas Health and Human Services Birthing Centershttps://www.hhs.texas.gov/providers/health-care-facilities-regulation/birthing-centersWhat Happens at Appointments Once My Baby is Born?https://www.communitycaremidwives.com/faq.html#:~:text=Midwives%20provide%20care%20for%20both,six%20weeks%20after%20the%20birth.&text=breastfeeding%20support.,their%20family%20doctor%20for%20care. Zucker School of Medicine, Amos Grunebaum, MDhttps://faculty.medicine.hofstra.edu/13732-amos-grunebaum/publications *SWW S23 Theme Song & Artwork: Thank you so much to Emily Wolfe for covering Glad Rag's original song, U Think U for us this season!Hear more from Emily Wolfe:On SpotifyOn Apple Musichttps://www.emilywolfemusic.com/instagram.com/emilywolfemusicGlad Rags: https://www.gladragsmusic.com/ The S23 cover art is by the Amazing Sara StewartFollow Something Was Wrong:Website: somethingwaswrong.com IG: instagram.com/somethingwaswrongpodcastTikTok: tiktok.com/@somethingwaswrongpodcast Follow Tiffany Reese:Website: tiffanyreese.me IG: instagram.com/lookiebooSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many birth workers assume teaching childbirth education is just for labor doulas. Yet postpartum doulas can benefit just as much from teaching childbirth and newborn-related classes. Offering newborn care education can be a game-changer for postpartum doulas looking to grow their client base. Teaching a newborn care class allows you to connect with expecting families before their baby arrives, demonstrate your expertise, and build trust early on. You'll help potential clients understand what postpartum doula support looks like and why it's so valuable in those early weeks. In this episode, we explore the importance of an informative and engaging class that encourages families to seek continued support. Tune in to discover how education can be a strategic and impactful way to build your postpartum doula business.

In this powerful and synchronistic conversation, Veda joins me to explore what it truly means to birth, and Mother, from a place of spiritual sovereignty.Our connection was deeply aligned from the beginning, and having the chance to come together in person (from opposite sides of the world!) made this conversation even more potent. Together, we unravel the forgotten wisdom of lotus birth and placenta energetics, delving into its true purpose as the baby's guardian and spirit guide on earth.We ask the question: when did we begin cutting the umbilical cord… and why?Tracing the roots of this intervention leads us into a larger conversation around ritualised disconnection, organised agendas, and the systemic efforts to sever the sacred bond between mother and child at birth.Veda opens up about her own journey into sovereignty - catalysed by a medical crisis and guided by messages from her spirit babies.We discuss how intentional trauma has been used to fragment the mind (including MK Ultra and religious programming), and how both medical and religious institutions serve the same purpose: to siphon life force and suppress the innate power of the mother.We share the identical message both our sons brought through, and what it truly means to raise children who are emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually free.Other key topics include:The agenda behind circumcisionVeda's personal experience with vaccine injury as a childReclaiming our right to choose from love, not fearTrusting your baby's wisdomWhat it looks like to work with VedaThis is a reclamation conversation. You can find Veda at @veda.revivalHost: Anita @themidwitchJoin Mother Mystic here - https://www.themidwitch.com/mothermysticappStudio and Producers: @wisecaststudio

This episode of Kiwi Birth Tales is proudly brought to you by Your Birth Project, if you are pregnant you need YBP in your life!In this episode of Kiwi Birth Tales, I speak to Brooklyn. Some of the topics we cover:Surprise pregnancyFinding a Midwife in NZ when not living here Pregnancy in LondonSpontaneous labour (contractions began in her back) Midwife check at homeNo pain relief Water birth Stitches after birth Placenta needed help to come away Breastfeeding journey Relationship after having a baby Your Birth Project Online Hypnobirthing Coursehttps://www.fertilityassociates.co.nz/book-a-free-nurse-consultPlease seek support for any mental health concerns, some helpful links are below:Mental Health in PregnancyPerinatal Depression and Anxiety Aotearoa Plunket - Dads Mental HealthLittle Shadow - Private Counselling NZFind me @kiwibirthtales and @yourbirthproject Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In part 1 of this Healthful Woman Podcast story, Dr. Nathan Fox speaks with Chani Turk, an Israeli Midwife. They discuss her personal experience of moving to Israel from the States, as well as her journey to becoming a midwife and experiences taking on this role.

Veronica Englund, 38, a midwife based in NSW, has been on and off trying to conceive for the past 4 years. From exploring the Clinical Route, to then discovering Sperm Donation Australia, and then being sidetracked with participating in the hit TV series "Farmer Wants a Wife", then a relationship whilst navigating the outside noise of family, friends, and now, social media opinions.In this episode, we discuss single donors, types of questions to ask, what she is looking for in a donor. We talk about Artificial Intelligence and how some clinics are suggesting that their donors use it to assist with creating their donor profile, and how this technology is also being seen on the general dating scene. Plus a whole lot more.For more information about this episode, to follow Veronica's socials and also a link to the two hot takes clip visit. https://ivfdonationworld.com/episode-80/

Send us a textIn this powerful episode of The Ultimate Birth Partner Podcast, we dive into a topic that may challenge how you think about birth support: the role of a doula or birthkeeper. While many believe our job is to shield you from the medical system, the truth is more complex.My role isn't to control external factors or guarantee a specific birth outcome. Instead, it's to help you overcome self-doubt, navigate fears, and trust your body. Together, we'll work to build the resilience, mindset, and advocacy skills you need to stay grounded in your values - no matter what comes your way.Listen in as I share real-life insights, why birth preparation requires more than a plan, and how your inner work can be the foundation for a truly empowered birth experience.In this episode, we'll cover:The true role of a birthkeeper or doulaWhy self-trust is the ultimate protectionNavigating the system vs. navigating yourselfHow to stay aligned with your birth values

COURTNEY HAS A MIDWIFE by 101.9POR

By Jelena Dunato, from Issue #429 of Beneath Ceaseless Skies Online MagazineNarrated by M.K. Hobson.He approached Katarina in one smooth move, too fast for her eyes to follow. He smelled of wet leaves and dark forest earth.More info »

In today's episode of The Homebirth Midwife Podcast, Sarah and Charli answer listener questions about pushing during labor and practicing birth work while pregnant. The conversation begins with a deep exploration of various techniques for pushing during labor, focusing on whether to hold one's breath ("purple pushing") or to breathe through contractions. They go on to unpack their personal experiences as midwives and mothers, sharing firsthand insights from the intersection of their profession and their maternal lives. Tune in for a warm, humorous, and informative talk that supports and educates expectant mothers through the journey of childbirth. If you like what you get here, you'll like our online childbirth education course even more. It's a more detailed look at the stages of labor, how to cope, and what to do along the way to set yourself up for success. It also shows partners what to expect from their point of view and what they can do to support you in labor. Stay Connected With Us! Website: https://hearthandhomemidwifery.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HearthandHomeMidwifery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HearthandHomeMidwifery YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hearthandhomemidwifery1206 The Homebirth Midwife Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of midwifery, medicine, or other professional health care services. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast are at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Text the show!“It doesn't make sense to me, that you wouldn't move your body in a way to prepare for an event like that, knowing it's going to be the hardest thing that you've probably done or will do.” -Skyler JacobsMotherhood is a journey—one that deserves confidence, grace, and the right support. In this episode, Victoria welcomes back Skyler Jacobs, certified nurse midwife and founder of Well and Worthy Co., to share her deeply personal and professional insights on staying active during pregnancy and embracing a holistic approach to prenatal care.They dive into the key differences between midwifery and traditional medical models, uncovering how midwives champion pregnancy as a natural process—providing personalized, low-intervention care that nurtures both physical and emotional well-being. Plus, Skyler sheds light on how midwives proactively manage high-risk conditions like cholestasis while fostering stronger connections with their patients.If you've ever wondered how to stay active during pregnancy and postpartum recovery, this conversation is for you. Victoria and Skyler break down common misconceptions about pelvic floor health, movement modifications for a stronger recovery, and why listening to your body is key. Tune in to learn how to move through pregnancy with confidence and discover Skyler's course, Movement Through Labor and Delivery, designed to help women prepare for childbirth. Mama's and Mama's-to-be, you're not going to want to miss this episode!DISCLAIMER: This episode is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Always check with your own doctor or midwife before making any changes to your exercise routine during pregnancy.  Links Mentioned in Today's Episode:Listen to Episode 105: Misconceptions Surrounding Pregnancy, Birth, & Postpartum With Well & Worthy Co. Founder, Skyler JacobsFollow Well & Worthy Co. on InstagramGrab Skyler's course, “Movement Through Labor and Delivery” here!View Photos of Victoria's Hyrox Competition in our show notes, here!For show notes, head to www.thebrandingbusinessschool.com/thepodcast/ Show notes for episodes 1-91 can be found at www.brandwelldesigns.com/thepodcast/ Follow BrandWell on Instagram. Follow The Branding Business School on Instagram. Save 50% off your first year of Honeybook using this link! Save 50% off your first year of Flodesk using this link! Get $30 off your first month of Nuuly using this link! Get up to $150 off your first box of Factor Meals using this link!

Lisa discusses The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon, which is a historical fiction book about Martha Ballard, who was a real midwife, who delivered more than 800 babies. The book is fiction, but Martha wrote a journal for more than 25 years.  A Midwife's Tale, the Life of Martha Ballard – based on the diary 1785 to 1812.  For more information, find Lisa on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and her website.

Will talks about the power of scripting out the journey your ideal client is about to walk when they hire you as their coach, and the trust that results in them making a buying decision with you.

In this episode of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast, I sit down with a Victoria, a midwife in the UK, to explore the complexities of c-section recovery. C-sections are major surgeries, yet so many pergnant people feel unprepared, unsupported, and unheard during recovery.  Vic expertly navigates these conversations while bringing a trauma-informed perspective to C-section recovery and postpartum healing.What You'll Learn in This Episode:What true C-section recovery looks like (spoiler: it's more than just physical healing!) How providers can better support postpartum patients post-op The emotional side of unexpected or traumatic C-sections Ways to advocate for yourself before, during, and after surgeryResources:C Section Walkthrough Audio (link available soon)csectionuk.comFollow csectionuk on instagram: @csectionukGuest Bio:With over a decade of experience as a Midwife, and educator and now leading the award winning C-sectionUK, It would be fair to say that Midwife Vic is pretty passionate about helping women achieve the birth that is right for them, and on their terms. Vic's 130,000 strong social following, has been testament to the huge interest and need that women have for comprehensive, professional-led information for their c-section journeys. “Whilst the conversation around the increasing rates of c-section births goes on ( which is important) , women are being left feeling unsure what their options are for c-section birth and importantly, how to recover. I really wanted to remove some of that fear, and validate and support c-section parents when they needed it most. There really are very practical, tangible things that will change everything for c-section parents - so we started talking about it! Before we knew it, we created a movement that is now reaching women across the globe” While Midwife Vic dedicates most of her time to raising awareness for c-section care and education, she also works closely with programmes such as the World Health Organisation's Fides programme challenging medical misinformation online, and sits on the advisory board for The Practicing Midwife. She continues to work clinically in the public sector periodically, but much of her clinical practice is now dedicated to working with clients privately, and through teaching digitally. Vic also works with pregnancy and birth brands, consulting on campaigns as well as creating content that aligns with her values.Her mantra is knowledge is power, and she is determined to empower as many women as she can.For more birth trauma content and a community full of love and support, head to my Instagram at @thebirthtrauma_mama.Learn more about the support and services I offer through The Birth Trauma Mama Therapy & Support Services.Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed by guests on The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official stance, views, or positions of The Birth Trauma Mama Podcast. The content shared is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional or medical advice and/or endorsement.

Welcome back to the Pain Free Birth Podcast. Today, I'm interviewing Laurynn Howard, a Mom of 2, Doula and Midwife. We're speaking about her pain free second birth story, her tips for Mom's experiencing their first natural birth, and why Western Civilization's mindset on pain and spirituality is non-resourceful for Moms.   Get 10% off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE https://painfreebirth.thrivecart.com/pain-free-birth/  Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/   TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Intro 01:25 - How Laurynn's First Birth Lit a Fire in Her to do Birth Work 03:53 - Story of Her Pain-Free Second Birth 05:02 - Why Her Second Birth Was Pain Free 07:44 - The Mindset of a Pain Free Birth 09:29 - Emotional Release During Labor 13:36 - Birth is Spiritual, Not Painful 16:25 - Should Women Use Epidurals? 18:38 - The Western Mindset on Pain is Wrong 21:50 - Lessons From Birth 25:29 - Gratitude During a Pain Free Birth 30:25 - Birth Workers Should be Honest 32:16 - Tips for Navigating Hospital Birth 37:58 - On Gender Reveals 39:44 - Laurynn's Postpartum Experience After a Pain-Free Birth 44:09 - Advice for Moms Doing Their First Natural Birth 45:18 - Outro   CONNECT WITH KAREN: Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton  Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/  Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS  Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731 Website - https://painfreebirth.com/  Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in   CONNECT WITH LAURYNN  Instagram.com/fruitofherwombnc  Instagram.com/Lovecatlaur Fruit of Her Womb Doula Services on fb Website: fruitofherwomb.org    

Alyssa is the oldest of six children and grew up with the unique privilege of witnessing her mother give birth at home to her five younger siblings. Naturally, choosing a home birth for her first baby seemed like the obvious decision. She selected a local birth center and midwife. However, like many first-time mothers, as Alyssa approached 42 weeks, the pressure to induce labor began to mount. During her 41st week, her midwife performed several interventions to induce labor, including breaking her water, which put her on a tight timeline. She now had 24 hours to deliver the baby or face a transfer to the hospital. The transfer occurred, and the birth ended in a cesarean and a NICU stay. Alyssa didn't get to hold her baby until his eighth day of life. It was a traumatic experience, but both she and her son eventually healed. Around 15 months postpartum, Alyssa became pregnant again. By this time, she had been researching VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) and was determined not to give birth in a hospital again. Immersed in positive birth stories, she went on to have a completely different, redemptive second birth experience. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at contactus@healingbirth.net Check out the website for lots of other birth related offerings, and personalized support: www.healingbirth.net Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

Let's be honest, mama, the fourth trimester can feel like total chaos. From sore boobs and broken sleep to cold coffee and toast crusts, it's a full sensory experience. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, touched out, or like you might actually dissolve from sleep deprivation... this one's for you.In this episode, Dr. Renee White sits down with the brilliant and hilarious Amelia Lamont, also known as The Midwife Mumma. Amelia is a midwife, sleep and lactation consultant, mum of four and now, author of her brand new book The Midwife Mumma. And if you're after a straight-talking, no-filter guide to surviving early motherhood, this book (and this chat) is exactly what you need.Renee and Amelia discuss everything from the realities of sleep deprivation and breastfeeding myths to letting go of mum guilt and actually making time to fill your own cup whatever that looks like for you.You'll hear about:

The power of listening is one of the most valuable skills a doula can have. Listening involves more than just hearing words—it's about creating space where clients feel genuinely seen, heard, and understood. It is how deep, intentional trust is built, and it strengthens the doula-client relationship. When clients feel safe to unmask and share openly, real connections form, which allows us to create a judgment-free space, allowing clients to express their fears, preferences, and emotions without shame. This trust becomes the foundation for meaningful support throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  In this episode, we discuss practical ways to refine your listening skills, avoid common pitfalls, and ensure clients feel validated and supported. Tune in to learn how the power of listening can transform your doula practice and deepen your impact.

In this episode, I welcome mermaid medicine woman, healer, and guide Adrienne Schroeder. She discusses her work in helping modern mystics build holy habits, heal, and self-actualize. Adrienne shares her method of blending mysticism and practicality to support clients in living more authentically. Adrienne is a mermaid medicine woman helping modern mystics build holy habits, heal their nervous systems, and self-actualize through high performance coaching, breathwork, and embodied astrology. Adrienne's essence is where the inner child, shaman, and CEO meet to blend all forces of creation for the highest path. She believes in every soul's ability to actualize their full potential in this lifetime to co-create a New Earth. Timestamps 00:15 Introducing Adrienne Schroeder: Mermaid Medicine Woman 00:31 Adrienne's Unique Blend of Mysticism and Practicality 01:59 Adrienne's Core Values and Mission 03:19 The Importance of Self-Discovery in Leadership 05:16 Adrienne's Journey: From Music to Mysticism 07:21 Living and Leading with Intuition 08:48 The Power of Healing and Knowledge 13:14 Embracing the Feminine Oracle and Interdimensional Beings 16:37 Adrienne's Mermaid Medicine Woman Identity 23:28 Navigating Transitions and Embracing New Earth 27:15 The Power of Community in the Age of Aquarius 27:55 Embracing the Role of the Midwife for the New Earth 33:44 The Importance of Structure and Discipline for Mystics 37:14 The Sacred Journey of Authentic Living 41:20 The Role of Wealth in Creating a New Earth Connect with Adrienne Website: https://www.adrienneschroeder.com/ Instagram: @_iamadrienne_ Podcast: A Better World with Adrienne Connect with Leilani Website: www.shamanleilani.com Instagram: @shamanleilani Tiktok: @shamanleilani Threads: @shamanleilani Medium: @shamanleilani

message me: what did you take away from this episode? Ep 92 (http://ibit.ly/Re5V) Hannah Dahlen on the path of a feminist midwife championing change and a sustainable research future@PhDMidwives #research #midwifery  #education @westernsydneyu #bigdata #Yemen #sustainability #perinealwarmpacks #leadershipresearch link - ibit.ly/Y58MLFrom seeing her first baby born as a child in Yemen to becoming a Professor of Midwifery at Western Sydney University, Hannah's journey illuminates the evolution of modern midwifery practice, research, and leadership in Australia.Hannah's story begins in the clinics of Yemen where her mother practiced midwifery, instilling in her a powerful feminist perspective that has guided her entire career. After training in the UK, Hannah returned to Australia in 1991 to find a healthcare system dominated by medical authority where midwives struggled for autonomy. Rather than accepting this status quo, she channeled her experiences into advocacy, rising through the ranks of professional organizations while conducting groundbreaking research. Her world-renowned study on perineal warm packs transformed an "old wives' tale" into level-one evidence now recommended in clinical guidelines worldwide.Throughout our conversation, Hannah weaves together personal experience with professional insights about leading change in healthcare. She shares wisdom about building movements rather than seeking individual recognition, the importance of mentoring future leaders, and how academic research has empowered midwifery's professional standing. Her recent work on birth trauma through the Birth Experience Study (BEST) has gathered responses from over 8,800 Australian women and is now being replicated in fourteen countries, challenging systemic issues in maternity care.Perhaps most compelling is Hannah's reflection on sustainability in leadership and the personal costs of advocacy. As she approaches her sixtieth birthday, she speaks candidly about learning to say no, finding balance, and encouraging a new generation to move midwifery from "surviving to thriving to transformation." Listen for powerful insights on leadership, research, and creating change that lasts generations, not just moments. Support the showDo you know someone who should tell their story?email me - thruthepodcast@gmail.comThe aim is for this to be a fortnightly podcast with extra episodes thrown inThis podcast can be found on various socials as @thruthepinardd and our website -https://thruthepinardpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ or ibit.ly/Re5V

From preparing the body for conception all the way to postpartum recovery, Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to every stage of the motherhood journey. In this episode, I sit down with Ayurvedic Practitioner, Herbalist and Midwife, Sunny Rose Healey as we explore how to nurture fertility, support a balanced pregnancy, and restore vitality after birth using Ayurvedic principles. Learn more about Sunny Rose Healey on her Website and Instagram.Learn More:

Over the past seven years, Carson Meyer has had the privilege of supporting hundreds of parents through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. As a doula she meets her clients where they're at on their unique journey and offers resources, education and support for home or hospital birth. She helps parents navigate the many choices they have so they can feel confident, connected and empowered throughout this sacred time.  In addition to her birth work, Carson has a celebrity-favorite clean skincare line, C & The Moon. She believes that the way we approach birth has the potential to change the world.A supported mother who is respected in her autonomy is not only less likely to experience birth trauma or postpartum depression but will feel better equipped to show up as a mother with all that she has to give. The imprinting that takes place for a child on the day they are born and the days and weeks that follow informs their worldview and lifelong physical health more than we may realize. After years of working as a doula she was shocked to learn how rare it was for doctors to talk to clients about good nutrition, emotional wellbeing, and environmental health.The impact of a healthy lifestyle for mom and baby are well studied and she believes should be a central point of prenatal and postpartum care. In 2020 she became certified a nutrition consultant through the Oh Baby Academy so she could support her clients in feeling their best. And in 2022, she became a mother herself. She gave birth to her daughter Lou in her home in North Carolina.Today Sasha and Carson sat down to explore her new book, Growing Together: Doula Wisdom & Holistic Practices for Pregnancy, Birth & Early Motherhood, being released by Chronicle Books on March 25. We chat about Carson's own journey in becoming a doula and educator, understanding the roles of a Doula vs Midwife, the impact of the medicalization of childbirth, the importance of sisterhood and female friendships, and empowering women through knowledge and their own intuition. We also explore the need for slowing down in preparation for motherhood, and how to create a supportive environment for new mothers. Send us a textSupport the showTo learn more about us, please visit www.OjasOasis.com Connect with us @ojasoasis on Instagram

This is The Briefing, a daily analysis of news and events from a Christian worldview.Part I (00:13 - 07:56)The Test Case of a Midwife in Texas: When Abortion is Illegal, Someone Will Be Charged with a Crime – And the Pro-Life Movement Shouldn't Shy Away From ItTexas Republicans seek to clarify when doctors can intervene under abortion bans by Texas Tribune (Eleanor Klibanoff)Texas midwife arrested and charged with performing illegal abortions by NBC News (Aria Bendix and Tim Stelloh)Texas Arrests Midwife and Associate on Charges of Providing Abortions by The New York Times (J. David Goodman)Part II (07:56 - 09:07)Do Married Couples Who Adopt Fulfill the Command to Be Fruitful and Multiply? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners of The BriefingPart III (09:07 - 13:19)Are Christians Commanded to Maximize the Amount of Children They Have? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners of The BriefingPart IV (13:19 - 17:27)Was Jesus Still in Heaven While He Was on Earth? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from a 10-Year-Old Listener of The BriefingPart V (17:27 - 18:57)How Do We Know That God is Triune If the Bible Doesn't Use the Term? — Dr. Mohler Responds to Letters from Listeners of The BriefingPart VI (18:57 - 20:41)How Can I Trust God's Protection When God Allows Other Peoples' Homes to Get Broken into at Night? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from a 8-Year-Old Listener of The BriefingPart VII (20:41 - 22:26)Can Angels or Demons Hear My Thoughts? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingPart VIII (22:26 - 27:42)How is the Chief Justice Chosen? — Dr. Mohler Responds to a Letter from Listeners of The BriefingSign up to receive The Briefing in your inbox every weekday morning.Follow Dr. Mohler:X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTubeFor more information on The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, go to sbts.edu.For more information on Boyce College, just go to BoyceCollege.com.To write Dr. Mohler or submit a question for The Mailbox, go here.

It's the Friday News Roundup! Host Raheel Ramzanali is recapping the biggest stories in Houston this week. Today, he's joined by Lucio Vasquez, breaking news reporter for The Texas Newsroom. They discuss the details of a Houston-area midwife arrested under the state's near-total abortion ban. Plus, the wildfire near Sam Houston National Forest, and why Houston was ranked one of America's ‘unhappiest' cities!  Stories and links from today's show:  Listen to Lucio's latest reporting for The Texas Newsroom  Texas midwife and 2 others arrested in connection to illegal abortion investigation, state AG says Texas' first abortion arrests stem from monthlong attorney general investigation 2,000 acre San Jacinto wildfire 20 percent contained Thursday morning, officials say As BARC speeds up euthanasia process, Houston City Council considers new organizational structure New study confirms Houston remains one of America's 'unhappiest' cities NASA astronauts splash down off Florida coast, ending 9-month saga Why This Houstonian Is Stuck in Outer Space If You Had $1 Billion, What Would You Do for Houston? Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scared? Got Questions about the continued assault on your reproductive rights? THE FBK LINES ARE OPEN! Just call or text (201) 574-7402, leave your questions or concerns, and Lizz and Moji will pick a few to address on the pod! Ken Paxton is at it again—arresting a midwife and two colleagues for allegedly providing abortions—so we're shredding him to filth and exposing the absolute horror show Texas is cooking up with its latest anti-abortion bill. And guess what? NO ONE is talking about it! We're diving in. But it's not all doom! We've got Dr. Jamila Taylor, President & CEO of the Institute for Women's Policy Research, breaking down their latest study on how abortion bans are reshaping the workforce—turns out, 1 in 5 people of reproductive age are relocating and demanding their employers step up on repro care. PLUS: JOY ALERT! The one and only Jean Grae is here to kiki about their new memoir, In My Remaining Years. Friendship, mortality, creative genius—we get into it all! And we even give you something to celebrate! Colorado and Maryland? They just scored some major abortion access wins and we have all the deets you need to know.  Times are heavy, but knowledge is power, y'all. We gotchu.  OPERATION SAVE ABORTION: You can still join the 10,000+ womb warriors fighting the patriarchy by listening to our OpSave pod series and Mifepristone Panel by clicking HERE for episodes, your toolkit, marching orders, and more. HOSTS:Lizz Winstead IG: @LizzWinstead Bluesky: @LizzWinstead.bsky.socialMoji Alawode-El IG: @Mojilocks Bluesky: @Mojilocks.bsky.social SPECIAL GUESTS:Jean Grae IG: @jeanniegrigio Bluesky: @jeanofthegraes.bsky.social Dr. Jamila Taylor IG: @TheIWP GUEST LINKS:IWPR Report on Employee Expectations on Reproductive HealthThe Institute for Women's Policy Research Website (IWPR) Center for Reproductive RightsJean Grae's LinktreeBUY: Jean Grae's Memoir “In My Remaining Years”AUDIOBOOK: Jean Grae's Memoir “In My Remaining Years”The Rise of “Extreme Embalming”Jean Grae's Substack NEWS DUMP:Ohio Anti-abortion Rights Lobby Files Complaint Against Company for Telehealth Abortion ServicesNothing Is Compassionate About Forcing Invasive Procedures on Wyoming WomenFive Things to Know About the Minnesota Senator Accused of Soliciting a Teen for SexA New Texas Bill Is Coming After Online Abortion PillsURGENT: The Texas ‘Exceptions' Bill Is a Trojan HorseBreaking: Texas Midwife Arrested on Felony Abortion ChargesColorado Is Projected to Save Money by Covering Abortions for Medicaid, Child Health Plan Plus RecipientsMaryland Poised to Become First State to Use Insurance Surcharge for Abortions EPISODE LINKS:TICKETS: 4/3 Boom! Buzzkilled in DC at The Black CatVOLUNTEER: Join us in Washington DC on 4/2 at SCOTUSADOPT-A-CLINIC: Toledo Abortion Escorts Amazon WishlistThe Conjuring RoomAbortion Fund of ArizonaPlan C PillsAid AccessHey JaneIf/When/HowFIND YOUR REP IN TEXAS VOTE NO: SB2880 / VOTE YES: SB31Operation Save AbortionSIGN: Repeal the Comstock ActEMAIL your abobo questions to The Feminist BuzzkillsAAF's Abortion-Themed Rage Playlist SHOULD I BE SCARED? Text or call us with the abortion news that is scaring you: (201) 574-7402FOLLOW US:Listen to us ~ FBK PodcastInstagram ~ @AbortionFrontBluesky ~ @AbortionFrontTikTok ~ @AbortionFrontFacebook ~ @AbortionFrontYouTube ~ @AbortionAccessFrontTALK TO THE CHARLEY BOT FOR ABOBO OPTIONS & RESOURCES HERE!PATREON HERE! Support our work, get exclusive merch and more! DONATE TO AAF HERE!ACTIVIST CALENDAR HERE!VOLUNTEER WITH US HERE!ADOPT-A-CLINIC HERE!EXPOSE FAKE CLINICS HERE!GET ABOBO PILLS FROM PLAN C PILLS HERE! When BS is poppin', we pop off!

With the Wind with Dr. Paul - Show 170: Pediatric Perspectives - Guidance for a Home Birth with Salli Gonzalez Title: Guidance for a Home Birth with Salli Gonzalez Presenters: Dr. Paul Thomas, Salli Gonzalez Length: To be confirmed Web Resources Discussed: Doctors and Science: https://www.doctorsandscience.com/ Kids First 4Ever: https://www.kidsfirst4ever.com/ Key Points (with timestamps to be confirmed): 00:00:40 – Dr. Paul's introduction and episode overview. 00:02:00 – Meet Salli Gonzalez: Her journey into midwifery and personal experiences with childbirth. 00:05:30 – Why families choose home birth: The benefits and empowering nature of birthing at home. 00:10:45 – The role of a midwife in a home birth: Ensuring safety and support. 00:18:20 – Preparing for a home birth: Key steps and considerations. 00:25:00 – What to expect during labor at home: Managing challenges and staying comfortable. 00:32:00 – Post-birth care and recovery: Midwife visits, breastfeeding support, and newborn wellness. Summary: Dr. Paul Thomas welcomes experienced midwife Salli Gonzalez to discuss the considerations, benefits, and practical aspects of home birth. Salli shares her personal journey into midwifery and provides guidance for expectant families exploring home birth as an option. She details how midwives support the birthing process, from prenatal preparation to postpartum care, offering insights into ensuring a safe and empowering home birth experience. Conclusion: This episode highlights the beauty and viability of home birth as a safe, supported, and empowering option for families. With expert guidance from Salli Gonzalez, listeners gain valuable insights into preparing for and experiencing childbirth at home. Hashtags: #HomeBirth #Midwifery #NaturalBirth #PediatricPerspectives #WithTheWind #DrPaulThomas #BirthingChoices #ParentingNaturally

This podcast episode contains potentially triggering content related to sexual trauma, including discussions of abuse, assault, and recovery. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode of The Homebirth Midwife Podcast, Sarah and Charli answer listener questions about home birth after cesarean (HBAC) and trauma-informed care in birth. They unpack the risks, safety considerations, and holistic midwifery support for those planning a VBAC in a home setting, as well as compassionate strategies for birthing with PTSD, vaginismus, or a history of sexual trauma. Learn how individualized midwifery care fosters empowerment, informed choice, and a deeply supportive birth experience. Whether you're exploring out-of-hospital birth, postpartum healing, or holistic prenatal care, this episode is filled with insight and encouragement for your journey. If you like what you get here, you'll like our online childbirth education course even more. It's a more detailed look at the stages of labor, how to cope, and what to do along the way to set yourself up for success. It also shows partners what to expect from their point of view and what they can do to support you in labor. Stay Connected With Us! Website: https://hearthandhomemidwifery.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HearthandHomeMidwifery Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HearthandHomeMidwifery YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@hearthandhomemidwifery1206 The Homebirth Midwife Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of midwifery, medicine, or other professional health care services. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast are at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Each pregnancy is different, so how are we supposed to know if the symptoms we are currently feeling are "normal"? How can you tell if there's something really wrong? Today we'll expose the top 10 reasons when you'll want to pick up the phone and call your doctor or midwife. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After two relatively routine hospital births, Shiloa's third baby was discovered to be breech late in her pregnancy. Her care providers presented her with no option other than a c-section, which came as a huge shock. The surgical birth left her feeling traumatized. As a birth worker herself, Shiloa was also attending births during this time and had developed an unshakable trust in the birth process. She learned that some midwives were comfortable supporting breech births at home, viewing it as a variation of normal rather than an emergency requiring surgery. For her fourth pregnancy, Shiloa planned a home birth with a midwife. Once again, the baby was found to be breech toward the end of the pregnancy. However, she didn't let the combination of a VBAC and the breech label shake her trust in the birth process. In fact, she had a strong sense that this baby was meant to be born breech for a reason. Shiloa successfully birthed her breech, VBAC baby at home with her midwife, as planned. This empowering experience helped to heal the trauma from her previous birth. If you love the show, I would greatly appreciate a review on  Spotify or Apple Podcasts!  Follow me on Instagram @healingbirth Do you have a birth story you'd like to share on the podcast, or would like to otherwise connect? I love to hear from you! Send me a note at contactus@healingbirth.net Check out the website for lots of other birth related offerings, and personalized support: www.healingbirth.net Intro / Outro music: Dreams by Markvard Podcast cover photo by Karina Jensen @karinajensenphoto

In this episode of The Midwitch Podcast, we continue the Rite Remembering solo series with Part 3, exploring the Trinity Wound and its deep connection to the broken and lost rite of passage of birth.Many women feel an ache—a sense of incompleteness—around their birth experiences, even when their births were seemingly “good.”This episode unpacks the Trinity Wound and how it reveals itself when the true rite of passage was interrupted, broken, or lost for birthing women transitioning into motherhood.To support this reclamation, I share three ways women can begin to retrieve the lost rite of passage that was taken from them- including powerful journal prompts to support you.I explore the vital role of spiritual mentorship in pregnancy—the often-missing first phase of a woman's rite of passage.In This Episode I Cover:+ What the Trinity Wound is and how it relates to birth as a lost initiation+ The unhealed grief of a broken rite of passage and why it lingers in the body and spirit+ Three ways to reclaim the lost rite of passage of birth—with journal prompts for deep healing+ How reclaiming the rite of passage of birth heals personal and collective wounds+ The importance of spiritual mentorship during pregnancy and why it is the foundation for an embodied birth initiationI also invite you to share your reflections: If this episode resonated with you, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Share your insights on Instagram and tag me @TheMidwitch, dm me or leave a review on your podcast platform to help more mothers remember the true sacred rite of passage of birth.This is your invitation to remember. Your birth was always meant to be an initiation Mama.Let's reclaim it together.

Client reviews shape your doula business. But how do you request them, use them effectively, and respond to negative feedback professionally? Doula work is deeply personal. Families invite us into one of the most intimate times of their lives, trusting us to provide support. Because of this, building and maintaining an emotional connection is essential. Clients need to feel safe, seen, and supported—and that trust often translates into the reviews they leave. One common challenge doulas face is finding the best ways to ask for reviews. Once you have the reviews, you need to determine where to showcase them to build trust and attract clients. Also, don't forget to turn this positive feedback into a powerful marketing tool to grow your business. But what if you get a bad review? Don't panic! Instead, take control, manage your reputation, and respond professionally and confidently. Join us to learn how to use client reviews to strengthen relationships, build trust, and grow a thriving doula business!

Send us a textLabor dystocia, often labeled as "failure to progress," is the leading reason for cesarean birth in the United States. At its core, prolonged labor is frequently influenced by suboptimal fetal positioning, as well as the mother's biomechanics, anatomy, and physiology. In this episode, we delve into the true causes of labor dystocia and explore how intentional movement and positioning—both during pregnancy and labor—can promote a smoother, more efficient birth.Our discussion covers:The definitions of labor dystocia and why there is no universal consensus;How fetal positioning impacts labor progress and ways to optimize it;The effects of maternal posture, movement, and soft tissue balance during pregnancy and birth;Understanding biomechanics in making space for the baby and easing labor challenges;How the medical model misinterprets and over-manages normal variations in labor; andPractical strategies to prevent and resolve labor dystocia naturally.When a mother and baby are doing well in labor there is no upper limit to how long her labor can go. No woman should be diagnosed with failure to progress, a term we reject. This episodes provides insights and tips to optimize your labor and your baby's position and reduced the chances of experiencing a long, difficult labor.Molly O'brienMolly on Instagram**********Our sponsors:Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products for before, during, and after pregnancy. Use this link to save 20%DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and get a FREE sample packENERGYbits--the superfood every mother needs for pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeedingUse promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all sponsors. Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.comInstagram @downtobirthshowCall us at 802-GET-DOWN Watch the full videos of all our episodes on YouTube! Work with Cynthia: 203-952-7299 HypnoBirthingCT.com Work with Trisha: 734-649-6294 Please remember we don't provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

Originally aired in June 2019 as our 73rd episode, we still often think back to this amazing first conversation we had with Dr. Stuart Fischbein and Midwife Blyss Young!Now, almost 6 years later, the information is just as relevant and impactful as it was then. This episode was a Q&A from our Facebook followers and touches on topics like statistics surrounding VBAC, uterine rupture, uterine abnormalities, insurance companies, breech vaginal delivery, high-risk pregnancies, and a powerful analogy about VBACs and weddings!Birthing Instincts PatreonBirthing BlyssNeeded WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hey, guys. This is one of our re-broadcasted episodes. This is an episode that, in my opinion, is a little gem in the podcast world of The VBAC Link. I really have loved this podcast ever since the date we recorded it. I am a huge fan of Dr. Stu Fischbein and Midwife Blyss and have been since the moment I knew that they existed. I absolutely love listening to their podcast and just all of the amazing things that they have and that they offer. So I wanted to rebroadcast this episode because it was quite down there. It was like our 73rd episode or something like that. And yeah, I love it so much. This week is OB week, and so I thought it'd be fun to kick-off the week with one of my favorite OB doctor's, Stuart Fischbein. So, a little recap of what this episode covers. We go over a lot. We asked for our community to ask questions for these guys, and we went through them. We didn't get to everything, so that was a bummer, but we did get to quite a bit. We talked about things like the chances of VBAC. We talked about the chances of uterine rupture and the signs of uterine rupture. We talked about inducing VBAC. We talked about uterine abnormalities, the desire of where you want to birth and figuring that out. And also, Blyss had a really great analogy to talk about what to do and how we're letting the medical world and insurance and things like that really contemplate where we or dictate where we are birthing. I love that analogy. You guys, seriously, so many questions. It's an episode that you'll probably want to put on repeat because it really is so great to listen to them, and they just speak so directly. I can't get enough of it. So I'm really excited for you guys to dive in today on this. However, I wanted to bring to your attention a couple of the new things that they've had since we recorded this way back when. I also wanted to point out that we will have updated notes in the show notes or updated links in the show notes so you can go check, them out. But one of the first things I wanted to mention was their Patreon. They have a Patreon these days, and I think that it just sounds dreamy. I think you should definitely go find in their Patreon their community through their Patreon. You can check it out at patreon.com, birthinginsinctspodcast.com and of course, you can find them on social media. You can find Dr. Stu at Birthing Instincts or his website at birthinginsincts.com. You can find Blyss and that is B-L-Y-S-S if you are looking for her at birthingblyss on Instagram or birthinblyss.com, and then of course, you can email them. They do take emails with questions and sometimes they even talk about it on their podcast. Their podcast is birthinginsinctspodcast.com, and then you can email them at birthinginsinctspodcast@gmail.com, so definitely check them out. Also, Dr. Stu offers some classes and workshops and things like that throughout the years on the topic of breech. You guys, I love them and really can't wait for you to listen to today's episode.Ladies, I cannot tell you how giddy and excited I have been for the last couple weeks since we knew that these guys were going to record with us. But we have some amazing, special guests today. We have Dr. Stuart Fischbein and Midwife Blyss Young, and we want to share a little bit about them before we get into the questions that all of you guys have asked on our social media platforms.Julie: Absolutely. And when Meagan says we're excited, we are really excited.Meagan: My face is hot right now because I'm so excited.Julie: I'm so excited. Meagan was texting me last night at 11:00 in all caps totally fan-girling out over here. So Dr. Stu and midwife Blyss are pretty amazing and we know that you are going to love them just as much as we do. But before we get into it, and like Meagan said, I'm just going to read their bios so you can know just how legit they really are. First, up. Dr. Stuart Fischbein, MD is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and how much we love ACOG over here at The VBAC Link He's a published author of the book Fearless Pregnancy: Wisdom and Reassurance from a Doctor, a Midwife, and a Mom. He has peer-reviewed papers Home Birth with an Obstetrician, A Series of 135 Out-of-Hospital Births and Breech Births at Home, Outcomes of 60 Breech and 109 Cephalic Planned Home and Birth Center Births. Dr. Stu is a lecturer and advocate who now works directly with home birthing midwives. His website is www.birthinginsincts.com, and his podcast is Dr. Stu's Podcast. Seriously guys, you need to subscribe.Meagan: Go subscribe right now to their podcast.Yeah. The website for his podcast is drstuspodcast.com. He has an international following. He offers hope for women who cannot find supportive practitioners for VBAC and twin and breech deliveries. Guys, this is the home birth OB. He is located in California. So if you are in California hoping for VBAC, especially if you have any special circumstance like after multiple Cesareans, twins or breech presentation, run to him. Run. Go find him. He will help you. Go to that website. Blyss, Midwife Blyss. We really love them. If you haven't had a chance to hear their podcast guys, really go and give them a listen because this duo is on point. They are on fire, and they talk about all of the real topics in birth. So his partner on the podcast is Blyss Young, and she is an LM and CPM. She has been involved in the natural birth world since the birth of her first son in 1992, first as an advocate, and then as an educator. She is a mother of three children, and all of her pregnancies were supported by midwives, two of which were triumphant, empowering home births. In 2006, Blyss co-founded the Sanctuary Birth and Family Wellness Center. This was the culmination of all of her previous experience as a natural birth advocate, educator and environmentalist. The Sanctuary was the first of its kind, a full-spectrum center where midwives, doctors, and other holistic practitioners collaborated to provide thousands of Los Angeles families care during their prenatal and postpartum periods. Blyss closed the Sanctuary in 2015 to pursue her long-held dream of becoming a midwife and care for her clients in an intimate home birth practice similar to the way she was cared for during her pregnancies. I think that's , why Meagan and I both became doulas. Meagan: That's exactly why I'm a doula. Julie: We needed to provide that care just like we had been cared for. Anyway, going on. Currently, Blyss, AKA Birthing Blyss, supports families on their journey as a birth center educator, placenta encapsulator and a natural birth and family consultant and home birth midwife. She is also co-founder of Just Placentas, a company servicing all of Southern California and placenta encapsulation and other postpartum services. And as ,, she's a co-host on Dr. Stu's Podcast. Meagan: And she has a class. Don't you have a class that you're doing? Don't you have a class? Midwife Blyss: Yeah. Meagan: Yeah. She has a class that she's doing. I want to just fly out because I know you're not doing it online and everything. I just want to fly there just to take your class.Midwife Blyss: Yeah, it's coming online.Meagan: It is? Yay! Great. Well, I'll be one of those first registering. Oh, did you put it in there?Julie: No, there's a little bit more.Meagan: Oh, well, I'm just getting ahead.Julie: I just want to read more of Blyss over here because I love this and I think it's so important. At the heart of all Blyss's work is a deep-rooted belief in the brilliant design of our bodies, the symbiotic relationship between baby and mother, the power of the human spirit and the richness that honoring birth as the rite of passage and resurrecting lost traditions can bring to our high-tech, low-touch lives. And isn't that true love? I love that language. It is so beautiful. If I'm not mistaken, Midwife Blyss's website is birthingblyss.com.Is that right? And Blyss is spelled with a Y. So B-L-Y-S-S, birthingblyss.com, and that's where you can find her.Midwife Blyss: Just to make it more complicated, I had to put a Y in there.Julie: Hey. I love it.Meagan: That's okay.Julie: We're in Utah so we have all sorts of weird names over here.Meagan: Yep. I love it. You're unique. Awesome. Well, we will get started.Midwife Blyss: I did read through these questions, and one of the things that I wanted to say that I thought we could let people know is that of course there's a little bit more that we need to take into consideration when we have a uterus that's already had a scar.There's a small percentage of a uterine rupture that we need to be aware of, and we need to know what are the signs and symptoms that we would need to take a different course of action. But besides that, I believe that, and Dr. Stu can speak for himself because we don't always practice together. I believe that we treat VBAC just like any other mom who's laboring. So a lot of these questions could go into a category that you could ask about a woman who is having her first baby. I don't really think that we need to differentiate between those.Meagan: I love it. Midwife Blyss: But I do think that in terms of preparation, there are some special considerations for moms who have had a previous Cesarean, and probably the biggest one that I would point to is the trauma.Julie: Yes.Midwife Blyss: And giving space to and processing the trauma and really helping these moms have a provider that really believes in them, I think is one of the biggest factors to them having success. Meagan: Absolutely. Midwife Blyss: So that's one I wanted to say before you started down the question.Meagan: Absolutely. We have an online class that we provide for VBAC prep, and that's the very first section. It's mentally preparing and physically preparing because there's so much that goes into that. So I love that you started out with that.Julie: Yeah. A lot of these women who come searching for VBAC and realize that there's another way besides a repeat Cesarean are processing a lot of trauma, and a lot of them realized that their Cesarean might have been prevented had they known better, had a different provider, prepared differently, and things like that. Processing that and realizing that is heavy, and it's really important to do before getting into anything else, preparation-wise.Meagan: Yeah.Midwife Blyss: One of the best things I ever had that was a distinction that one of my VBAC moms made for me, and I passed it on as I've cared for other VBAC mom is for her, the justification, or I can't find the right word for it, but she basically said that that statement that we hear so often of, "Yeah, you have trauma from this, or you're not happy about how your birth went, but thank God your baby is healthy." And she said it felt so invalidating for her because, yes, she also was happy, of course, that her baby was safe, but at the same time, she had this experience and this trauma that wasn't being acknowledged, and she felt like it was just really being brushed away.Julie: Ah, yeah.Midwife Blyss: I think really giving women that space to be able to say, "Yes, that's valid. It's valid how you feel." And it is a really important part of the process and having a successful vaginal delivery this go around.Dr. Stu: I tend to be a lightning rod for stories. It's almost like I have my own personal ICAN meeting pretty much almost every day, one-on-one. I get contacted or just today driving. I'm in San Diego today and just driving down here, I talked to two people on the phone, both of whom Blyss really just touched on it is that they both are wanting to have VBACs with their second birth. They were seeing practitioners who are encouraging them to be induced for this reason or that reason. And they both have been told the same thing that Blyss just mentioned that if you end up with a repeat Cesarean, at least you're going to have a healthy baby. Obviously, it's very important. But the thing is, I know it's a cliche, but it's not just about the destination. It's about the journey as well. And one of the things that we're not taught in medical school and residency program is the value of the process. I mean, we're very much mechanical in the OB world, and our job is to get the baby out and head it to the pediatric department, and then we're done with it. If we can get somebody induced early, if we can decide to do a C-section sooner than we should, there's a lot of incentives to do that and to not think about the process and think about the person. There's another cliche which we talk about all the time. Blyss, and I've said it many times. It's that the baby is the candy and the mother's the wrapper. I don't know if you've heard that one, but when the baby comes out, the mother just gets basically tossed aside and her experience is really not important to the medical professionals that are taking care of her in the hospital setting, especially in today's world where you have a shift mentality and a lot of people are being taken care of by people they didn't know.You guys mentioned earlier the importance of feeling safe and feeling secure in whatever setting you're in whether that's at home or in the hospital. Because as Blyss knows, I get off on the mammalian track and you talk about mammals. They just don't labor well when they're anxious.Julie: Yep.Dr. Stu: When the doctor or the health professional is anxious and they're projecting their anxiety onto the mom and the family, then that stuff is brewing for weeks, if not months and who knows what it's actually doing inside, but it's certainly not going to lead to the likelihood of or it's going to diminish the likelihood of a successful labor.Julie: Yeah, absolutely. We talk about that. We go over that a lot. Like, birth is very instinctual and very primal, and it operates a very fundamental core level. And whenever mom feels threatened or anxious or, or anything like that, it literally can st or stop labor from progressing or even starting.Meagan: Yeah, exactly. When I was trying to VBAC with my first baby, my doctor came in and told my husband to tell me that I needed to wake up and smell the coffee because it wasn't happening for me. And that was the last, the last contraction I remember feeling was right before then and my body just shut off. I just stopped because I just didn't feel safe anymore or protected or supported. Yeah, it's very powerful which is something that we love so much about you guys, because I don't even know you. I've just listened to a million of your podcasts, and I feel so safe with you right now. I'm like, you could fly here right now and deliver my baby because so much about you guys, you provide so much comfort and support already, so I'm sure all of your clients can feel that from you.Julie: Absolutely.Dr. Stu: Yeah. I just would like to say that, know, I mean, the introduction was great. Which one of you is Julie? Which one's Meagan?Julie: I'm Julie.Meagan: And I'm Meagan.Dr. Stu: Okay, great. All right, so Julie was reading the introduction that she was talking about how if you have a breech, you have twins, if you have a VBAC, you have all these other things just come down to Southern California and care of it. But I'm not a cowboy. All right? Even though I do more things than most of my colleagues in the profession do, I also say no to people sometimes. I look at things differently. Just because someone has, say chronic hypertension, why can't they have a home birth? The labor is just the labor. I mean, if her blood pressure gets out of control, yeah, then she has to go to the hospital. But why do you need to be laboring in the hospital or induced early if everything is fine? But this isn't for everybody.We want to make that very clear. You need to find a supportive team or supportive practitioner who's willing to be able to say yes and no and give you it with what we call a true informed consent, so that you have the right to choose which way to go and to do what's reasonable. Our ethical obligation is to give you reasonable choices and then support your informed decision making. And sometimes there are things that aren't reasonable. Like for instance, an example that I use all the time is if a woman has a breech baby, but she has a placenta previa, a vaginal delivery is not an option for you. Now she could say, well, I want one and I'm not going to have a C-section.Julie: And then you have the right to refuse that.Dr. Stu: Yeah, yeah, but I mean, that's never going to happen because we have a good communication with our patients. Our communication is such that we develop a trust over the period of time. Sometimes I don't meet people until I'm actually called to their house by a midwife to come assist with a vacuum or something like that. But even then, the midwives and stuff, because I'm sort of known that people have understanding. And then when I'm sitting there, as long as the baby isn't trouble, I will explain to them, here's what's going to happen. Here's how we're going to do it. Here's what's going on. The baby's head to look like this. It not going be a problem. It'll be better in 12 hours. But I go through all this stuff and I say, I'm going to touch you now. Is that okay? I ask permission, and I do all the things that the midwives have taught me, but I never really learned in residency program. They don't teach this stuff.Julie: Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely. One of the things that we go over a lot to in our classes is finding a provider who has a natural tendency to treat his patients the way that you want to be treated. That way, you'll have a lot better time when you birth because you're not having to ask them to do anything that they're not comfortable with or that they're not prepared for or that they don't know how to do. And so interviewing providers and interview as many as you need to with these women. And find the provider whose natural ways of treating his clients are the ways that you want to be treated.Dr. Stu: And sometimes in a community, there's nobody.Julie: Yeah, yeah, that's true.Meagan: That's what's so hard.Dr. Stu: And if it's important to you, if it's important to you, then you have to drive on. Julie: Or stand up for yourself and fight really hard.Meagan: I have a client from Russia. She's flying here in two weeks. She's coming all the way to Salt Lake City, Utah to have her baby. We had another client from Russia.Julie: You have another Russian client?Meagan: Yeah. Julie: That's awesome. Meagan: So, yeah. It's crazy. Sometimes you have to go far, far distances, and sometimes you've got them right there. You just have to search. You just have to find them.So it's tricky.Midwife Blyss: Maybe your insurance company is not gonna pay for it.Meagan: Did you say my company's not gonna pay for it?Midwife Blyss: And maybe your insurance company.Meagan: Oh, sure. Yeah, exactly.Midwife Blyss: You can't rely on them to be the ones who support some of these decisions that are outside of the standards of care. You might have to really figure out how to get creative around that area.Meagan: Absolutely.Yeah. So in the beginning, Blyss, you talked about noticing the signs, and I know that's one of the questions that we got on our Instagram, I believe. Birthing at home for both of you guys, what signs for a VBAC mom are signs enough where you talk about different care?.Dr. Stu: I didn't really understand that. Say that again what you were saying.Meagan: Yep. Sorry. So one of the questions on our Instagram was what are the signs of uterine rupture when you're at home that you look for and would transfer care or talk about a different plan of action?Dr. Stu: Okay. Quite simply, some uterine ruptures don't have any warning that they're coming.There's nothing you can do about those. But before we get into what you can feel, just let's review the numbers real briefly so that people have a realistic viewpoint. Because I'm sure if a doctor doesn't want to do a VBAC, you'll find a reason not to do a VBAC. You'll use the scar thickness or the pregnancy interval or whatever. They'll use something to try to talk you out of it or your baby's too big or this kind of thing. We can get into that in a little bit. But when there are signs, the most common sign you would feel is that there'd be increasing pain super-cubically that doesn't go away between contractions. It's a different quality of pain or sensation. It's pain. It's really's becoming uncomfortable. You might start to have variables when you didn't have them before. So the baby's heart rate, you might see heart rate decelerations. Rarely, you might find excessive bleeding, but that's usually not a sign of I mean that's a sign of true rupture.Midwife Blyss: Loss of station.Dr. Stu: Those are things you look for, but again, if you're not augmenting someone, if someone doesn't have an epidural where they don't have sensation, if they're not on Pitocin, these things are very unlikely to happen. I was going to get to the numbers. The numbers are such that the quoted risk of uterine rupture, which is again that crappy word. It sounds like a tire blowing out of the freeway. It is about 1 in 200. But only about 5 to 16%. And even one study said 3%. But let's just even take 16% of those ruptures will result in an outcome that the baby is damaged or dead. Okay, that's about 1 in 6. So the actual risk is about 1 in 6 times 1 in 200 or 1 in 1200 up to about 1 in 4000.Julie: Yep.Dr. Stu: So those are, those are the risks. They're not the 1 in 200 or the 2%. I actually had someone tell some woman that she had a 30% chance of rupture.Julie: We've had somebody say 50%.Meagan: We have?Julie: Yeah. Jess, our 50 copy editor-- her doctor told her that if she tries to VBAC, she has a 50% chance of rupture and she will die. Yeah.Meagan: Wow.Julie: Pretty scary. Dr. Stu: And by the way, a maternal mortality from uterine rupture is extremely rare.Julie: Yeah, we were just talking about that.Dr. Stu: That doctor is wrong on so many accounts. I don't even know where to begin on that.Julie: I know.Dr. Stu: Yeah. See that's the thing where even if someone has a classical Cesarean scar, the risk of rupture isn't 50%.Julie: Yep.Dr. Stu: So I don't know where they come up with those sorts of numbers.Julie: Yeah, I think it's just their comfort level and what they're familiar with and what they know and what they understand. I think a lot of these doctors, because she had a premature Cesarean, and so that's why he was a little, well, a lot more fear-based. Her Cesarean happened, I think, around 32 weeks. We still know that you can still attempt to VBAC and still have a really good chance of having a successful one. But a lot of these providers just don't do it.Dr. Stu: Yeah. And another problem is you can't really find out what somebody's C-section rate is. I mean, you can find out your hospital C-section rate. They can vary dramatically between different physicians, so you really don't know. You'd like to think that physicians are honest. You'd like to think that they're going to tell you the truth. But if they have a high C-section rate and it's a competitive world, they're not going to. And if you're with them, you don't really have a choice anyway.Julie: So there's not transparency on the physician level.Dr. Stu: So Blyss was talking briefly about the fact that your insurance may not pay for it. Blyss, why don't you elaborate on that because you do that point so well.Midwife Blyss: Are you talking about the wedding?Dr. Stu: I love your analogy. It's a great analogy.Midwife Blyss: I'm so saddened sometimes when people talk to me about that they really want this option and especially VBACs. I just have a very special tender place in my heart for VBAC because I overcame something from my first to second birth that wasn't a Cesarean. But it felt like I had been led to mistrust my body, and then I had a triumphant second delivery. So I really understand how that feels when a woman is able to reclaim her body and have a vaginal delivery. But just in general, in terms of limiting your options based on what your insurance will pay for, we think about the delivery of our baby and or something like a wedding where it's this really special day. I see that women or families will spend thousands and thousands of dollars and put it on a credit card and figure out whatever they need to do to have this beautiful wedding. But somehow when it comes to the birth of their baby, they turn over all their power to this insurance company.And so we used to do this talk at the sanctuary and I used to say, "What if we had wedding insurance and you paid every year into this insurance for your wedding, and then when the wedding came, they selected where you went and you didn't like it and they put you in a dress that made you look terrible and the food was horrible and the music was horrible and they invited all these people you didn't want to be there?"Julie: But it's a network.Midwife Blyss: Would you really let that insurance company, because it was paid for, dictate how your wedding day was? Julie: That's a good analogy.Midwife Blyss: You just let it all go.Meagan: Yeah. That's amazing. I love that. And it's so true. It is so true.Julie: And we get that too a lot about hiring a doula. Oh, I can't hire a doula. It's too expensive. We get that a lot because people don't expect to pay out-of-pocket for their births. When you're right, it's just perceived completely differently when it should be one of the biggest days of your life. I had three VBACs at home. My first was a necessary, unnecessary Cesarean.I'm still really uncertain about that, to be honest with you. But you better believe my VBACs at home, we paid out of pocket for a midwife. Our first two times, it was put on a credit card. I had a doula, I had a birth photographer, I had a videographer. My first VBAC, I had two photographers there because it was going to be documented because it was so important to me. And we sold things on eBay. We sold our couches, and I did some babysitting just to bring in the money.Obviously, I hired doulas because it was so important to me to not only have the experience that I wanted and that I deserved, but I wanted it documented and I wanted it to be able to remember it well and look back on it fondly. We see that especially in Utah. I think we have this culture where women just don't-- I feel like it's just a national thing, but I think in Utah, we tend to be on the cheap side just culturally and women don't see the value in that. It's hard because it's hard to shift that mindset to see you are important. You are worth it. What if you could have everything you wanted and what if you knew you could be treated differently? Would you think about how to find the way to make that work financially? And I think if there's just that mindset shift, a lot of people would.Meagan: Oh, I love that.Dr. Stu: If you realize if you have to pay $10,000 out of pocket or $5,000 or whatever to at least have the opportunity, and you always have the hospital as a backup. But 2 or 3 years from now, that $5,000 isn't going to mean anything.Julie: Yeah, nothing.Meagan: But that experience is with you forever.Dr. Stu: So yeah, women may have to remember the names of their children when they're 80 years old, but they'll remember their birth.Julie: Well, with my Cesarean baby, we had some complications and out-of-pocket, I paid almost $10,000 for him and none of my home births, midwives, doula, photography and videography included cost over $7,000.Meagan: My Cesarean births in-hospital were also more expensive than my birth center births.Julie: So should get to questions.Dr. Stu: Let's get to some of the questions because you guys some really good questions.Meagan: Yes.Dr. Stu: Pick one and let's do it.Meagan: So let's do Lauren. She was on Facebook. She was our very first question, and she said that she has some uterine abnormalities like a bicornuate uterus or a separate uterus or all of those. They want to know how that impacts VBAC. She's had two previous Cesareans due to a breech presentation because of her uterine abnormality.Julie: Is that the heart-shaped uterus? Yeah.Dr. Stu: Yeah. You can have a septate uterus. You can have a unicornuate uterus. You can have a double uterus.Julie: Yeah. Two separate uteruses.Dr. Stu: Right. The biggest problem with a person with an abnormal uterine shape or an anomaly is a couple of things. One is malpresentation as this woman experienced because her two babies were breech. And two, is sometimes a retained placenta is more common than women that have a septum, that sort of thing. Also, it can cause preterm labor and growth restriction depending on the type of anomaly of the uterus. Now, say you get to term and your baby is head down, or if it's breech in my vicinity. But if it's head down, then the chance of VBAC for that person is really high. I mean, it might be a slightly greater risk of Cesarean section, but not a statistically significant risk. And then the success rate for home birth VBACs, if you look at the MANA stats or even my own stats which are not enough to make statistical significance in a couple of papers that I put out, but the MANA stats show that it's about a 93% success rate for VBACS in the midwifery model, whereas in the hospital model, it can be as low as 17% up to the 50s or 60%, but it's not very high. And that's partly because of the model by which you're cared for. So the numbers that I'm quoting and the success rates I'm quoting are again, assuming that you have a supportive practitioner in a supportive environment, every VBAC is going to have diminished chance of success in a restrictive or tense environment. But unicornuate uterus or septate uterus is not a contraindication to VBAC, and it's not an indication of breech delivery if somebody knows how to do a breech VBAC too.Julie: Right.Dr. Stu: So Lauren, that would be my answer to to your question is that no, it's not a contraindication and that if you have the right practitioner you can certainly try to labor and your risk of rupture is really not more significant than a woman who has a normal-shaped uterus.Julie: Good answer.Meagan: So I want to spin off that really quick. It's not a question, but I've had a client myself that had two C-sections, and her baby was breech at 37 weeks, and the doctor said he absolutely could not turn the baby externally because her risk of rupture was so increasingly high. So would you agree with that or would you disagree with that?D No, no, no. Even an ACOG statement on external version and breech says that a previous uterine scar is not a contraindication to attempting an external version.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Stu: Now actually, if we obviously had more breech choices, then there'd be no reason to do an external version.The main reason that people try an external version which can sometimes be very uncomfortable, and depending on the woman and her parody and certain other factors, their success rate cannot be very good is the only reason they do it because the alternative is a Cesarean in 95% of locations in the country.Meagan: Okay, well that's good to know.Dr. Stu: But again, one of the things I would tell people to do is when they're hearing something from their position that just sort of rocks the common sense vote and doesn't sort of make sense, look into it. ACOG has a lot. I think you can just go Google some of the ACOG clinical guidelines or practice guidelines or clinical opinions or whatever they call them. You can find and you can read through, and they summarize them at the end on level A, B, and C evidence, level A being great evidence level C being what's called consensus opinion. The problem with consensus, with ACOG's guidelines is that about 2/3 of them are consensus opinion because they don't really have any data on them. When you get bunch of academics together who don't like VBAC or don't like home birth or don't like breech, of course a consensus opinion is going to be, "Well, we're not going to think those are a good idea." But much to their credit lately, they're starting to change their tune. Their most recent VBAC guideline paper said that if your hospital can do labor and delivery, your hospital can do VBAC.Julie: Yes.Dr. Stu: That's huge. There was immediately a whole fiasco that went on. So any hospital that's doing labor and delivery should be able to do a VBAC. When they say they can't or they say our insurance company won't let them, it's just a cowardly excuse because maybe it's true, but they need to fight for your right because most surgical emergencies in labor delivery have nothing to do with a previous uterine scar.Julie: Absolutely.Dr. Stu: They have to do with people distress or placental abruption or cord prolapse. And if they can handle those, they can certainly handle the one in 1200. I mean, say a hospital does 20 VBACs a year or 50 VBACs a year. You'll take them. Do the math. It'll take them 25 years to have a rupture.Meagan: Yeah. It's pretty powerful stuff.Midwife Blyss: I love when he does that.Julie: Me too. I'm a huge statistics junkie and data junkie. I love the numbers.Meagan: Yeah. She loves numbers.Julie: Yep.Meagan: I love that.Julie: Hey, and 50 VBACs a year at 2000, that would be 40 years actually, right?Dr. Stu: Oh, look at what happened. So say that again. What were the numbers you said?Julie: So 1 in 2000 ruptures are catastrophic and they do 50 VBACs a year, wouldn't that be 40 years?Dr. Stu: But I was using the 1200 number.Julie: Oh, right, right, right, right.Dr. Stu: So that would be 24 years.Julie: Yeah. Right. Anyways, me and you should sit down and just talk. One day. I would love to have lunch with you.Dr. Stu: Let's talk astrology and astronomy.Yes.Dr. Stu: Who's next?Midwife Blyss: Can I make a suggestion?There was another woman. Let's see where it is. What's the likelihood that a baby would flip? And is it reasonable to even give it a shot for a VBA2C. How do you guys say that?Meagan: VBAC after two Cesareans.Midwife Blyss: I need to know the lingo. So, I would say it's very unlikely for a baby to flip head down from a breech position in labor. It doesn't mean it's impossible.Dr. Stu: With a uterine septum, it's almost never going to happen. Bless is right on. Even trying an external version on a woman with the uterine septum when the baby's head is up in one horn and the placenta in the other horn and they're in a frank breech position, that's almost futile to do that, especially if a woman is what I call a functional primary, or even a woman who's never labored before.Julie: Right. That's true.Meagan: And then Napoleon said, what did she say? Oh, she was just talking about this. She's planning on a home birth after two Cesareans supported by a midwife and a doula. Research suggests home birth is a reasonable and safe option for low-risk women. And she wants to know in reality, what identifies low risk?Midwife Blyss: Well, I thought her question was hilarious because she says it seems like everybody's high-risk too. Old, overweight.Julie: Yeah, it does. It does, though.Dr. Stu: Well, immediately, when you label someone high-risk, you make them high-risk.Julie: Yep.Dr. Stu: Because now you've planted seeds of doubt inside their head. So I would say, how do you define high-risk? I mean, is 1 in 1200 high risk?Julie: Nope.Dr. Stu: It doesn't seem high-risk to me. But again, I mean, we do a lot of things in our life that are more dangerous than that and don't consider them high-risk. So I think the term high-risk is handed about way too much.And it's on some false or just some random numbers that they come up with. Blyss has heard this before. I mean, she knows everything I say that comes out of my mouth. The numbers like 24, 35, 42. I mean, 24 hours of ruptured membranes. Where did that come from? Yeah, or some people are saying 18 hours. I mean, there's no science on that. I mean, bacteria don't suddenly look at each other and go, "Hey Ralph, it's time to start multiplying."Julie: Ralph.Meagan: I love it.Julie: I'm gonna name my bacteria Ralph.Meagan: It's true. And I was told after 18 hours, that was my number.Dr. Stu: Yeah, again, so these numbers, there are papers that come out, but they're not repetitive. I mean, any midwife worth her salt has had women with ruptured membranes for sometimes two, three, or four days.Julie: Yep.Midwife Blyss: And as long as you're not sticking your fingers in there, and as long as their GBS might be negative or that's another issue.Meagan: I think that that's another question. That's another question. Yep.Dr. Stu: Yeah, I'll get to that right now. I mean, if some someone has a ruptured membrane with GBS, and they don't go into labor within a certain period of time, it's not unreasonable to give them the pros and cons of antibiotics and then let them make that decision. All right? We don't force people to have antibiotics. We would watch for fetal tachycardia or fever at that point, then you're already behind the eight ball. So ideally, you'd like to see someone go into labor sooner. But again, if they're still leaking, if there are no vaginal exams, the likelihood of them getting group B strep sepsis or something on the baby is still not very high. And the thing about antibiotics that I like to say is that if I was gonna give antibiotics to a woman, I think it's much better to give a woman an antibiotics at home than in the hospital. And the reason being is because at home, the baby's still going to be born into their own environment and mom's and dad's bacteria and the dog's bacteria and the siblings' bacteria where in the hospital, they're going to go to the nursery for observation like they generally do, and they're gonna be exposed to different bacteria unless they do these vaginal seeding, which isn't really catching on universally yet where you take a swab of mom's vaginal bacteria before the C-section.Midwife Blyss: It's called seeding.Dr. Stu: Right. I don't consider ruptured membrane something that again would cause me to immediately say something where you have to change your plan. You individualize your care in the midwifery model.Julie: Yep.Dr. Stu: You look at every patient. You look at their history. You look at their desires. You look at their backup situation, their transport situation, and that sort of thing. You take it all into account. Now, there are some women in pregnancy who don't want to do a GBS culture.Ignorance is bliss. The other spelling of bliss.Julie: Hi, Blyss.Dr. Stu: But the reason that at least I still encourage people to do it is because for any reason, if that baby gets transferred to the hospital during labor or after and you don't have a GBS culture on the chart, they're going to give antibiotics. They're going to treat it as GBS positive and they're also going to think you're irresponsible.And they're going to have that mentality that of oh, here's another one of those home birth crazy people, blah, blah, blah.Julie: That just happened to me in January. I had a client like that. I mean, anyways, never mind. It's not the time. Midwife Blyss: Can I say something about low-risk?Julie: Yes. Midwife Blyss: I think there are a lot of different factors that go into that question. One being what are the state laws? Because there are things that I would consider low-risk and that I feel very comfortable with, but that are against the law. And I'm not going to go to jail.Meagan: Right. We want you to still be Birthing Bless.Midwife Blyss: As, much as I believe in a woman's right to choose, I have to draw the line at what the law is. And then the second is finding a provider that-- obviously, Dr. Stu feels very comfortable with things that other providers may not necessarily feel comfortable with.Julie: Right.Midwife Blyss: And so I think it's really important, as you said in the beginning of the show, to find a provider who takes the risk that you have and feels like they can walk that path with you and be supportive. I definitely agree with what Dr. Stu was saying about informed consent. I had a client who was GBS positive, declined antibiotics and had a very long rupture. We continued to walk that journey together. I kept giving informed consent and kept giving informed consent. She had such trust and faith that it actually stretched my comfort level. We had to continually talk about where we were in this dance. But to me, that feels like what our job is, is to give them information about the pros and cons and let them decide for themselves.And I think that if you take a statistic, I'm picking an arbitrary number, and there's a 94% chance of success and a 4% chance that something could go really wrong, one family might look at that and say, "Wow, 94%, this is neat. That sounds like a pretty good statistic," and the other person says, "4% makes me really uncomfortable. I need to minimize." I think that's where you have to have the ability, given who you surround yourself with and who your provider is, to be able to say, "This is my choice," and it's being supported. So it is arbitrary in a lot of ways except for when it comes to what the law is.Julie: Yeah, that makes sense.Meagan: I love that. Yeah. Julie: Every state has their own law. Like in the south, it's illegal like in lots of places in the South, I think in Washington too, that midwives can't support home birth if you're VBAC. I mean there are lots of different legislative rules. Why am I saying legislative? Look at me, I'm trying to use fancy words to impress you guys. There are lots of different laws in different states and, and some of them are very evidence-based and some laws are broad and they leave a lot of room for practices, variation and gray areas. Some are so specific that they really limit a woman's option in that state.Dr. Stu: We can have a whole podcast on the legal decision-making process and a woman's right to autonomy of her body and the choices and who gets to decide that would be. Right now, the vaccine issue is a big issue, but also pregnancy and restricting women's choices of these things. If you want to do another one down the road, I would love to talk on that subject with you guys.Julie: Perfect.Meagan: We would love that.Julie: Yeah. I think it's your most recent episode. I mean as of the time of this recording. Mandates Kill Medicine. What is that the name?Dr. Stu: Mandates Destroy Medicine.Julie: Yeah. Mandates Destroy Medicine. Dr. Stu: It's wonderful.Julie: Yeah, I love it. I was just listening to it today again.Dr. Stu: well it does because it makes the physicians agents of the state.Julie: Yeah, it really does.Meagan: Yeah. Well. And if you give us another opportunity to do this with you, heck yeah.Julie: Yeah. You can just be a guest every month.Meagan: Yeah.Dr. Stu: So I don't think I would mind that at all, actually.Meagan: We would love it.Julie: Yeah, we would seriously love it. We'll keep in touch.Meagan: So, couple other questions I'm trying to see because we jumped through a few that were the same. I know one asks about an overactive pelvic floor, meaning too strong, not too weak. She's wondering if that is going to affect her chances of having a successful VBAC.Julie: And do you see that a lot with athletes, like people that are overtrained or that maybe are not overtrained, but who train a lot and weightlifters and things like that, where their pelvic floor is too strong? I've heard of that before.Midwife Blyss: Yep, absolutely. there's a chiropractor here in LA, Dr. Elliot Berlin, who also has his own podcast and he talks–Meagan: Isn't Elliott Berlin Heads Up?Dr. Stu: Yeah. He's the producer of Heads Up.Meagan: Yeah, I listened to your guys' special episode on that too. But yeah, he's wonderful.Midwife Blyss: Yeah. So, again, I think this is a question that just has more to do with vaginal delivery than it does necessarily about the fact that they've had a previous Cesarean. So I do believe that the athletic pelvis has really affected women's deliveries. I think that during pregnancy we can work with a pelvic floor specialist who can help us be able to realize where the tension is and how to do some exercises that might help alleviate some of that. We have a specialist here in L.A. I don't know if you guys do there that I would recommend people to. And then also, maybe backing off on some of the athletic activities that that woman is participating in during her pregnancy and doing things more like walking, swimming, yoga, stretching, belly dancing, which was originally designed for women in labor, not to seduce men. So these are all really good things to keep things fluid and soft because you want things to open and release rather than being tense.Meagan: I love that.Dr. Stu: I agree. I think sometimes it leads more to not generally so much of dilation. Again, a friend of mine, David Hayes, he's a home birth guy in South Carolina, doesn't like the idea of using stages of labor. He wants to get rid of that. I think that's an interesting thought. We have a meeting this November in Wisconsin. We're gonna have a bunch of thought-provoking things going on over there.Dr. Stu: Is it all men talking about this? Midwife Blyss: Oh, hell no.Julie: Let's get more women. Dr. Stu: No, no, no, no, no.Being organized By Cynthia Calai. Do you guys know who Cynthia is? She's been a midwife for 50 years. She's in Wisconsin. She's done hundreds of breeches. Anyway, the point being is that I think that I find that a lot of those people end up getting instrumented like vacuums, more commonly. Yeah. So Blyss is right. I mean, if there are people who are very, very tight down there. The leviators and the muscles inside are very tight which is great for life and sex and all that other stuff, but yeah, you need to learn how to be able to relax them too.Julie: Yeah.Meagan: So I know we're running short on time, but this question that came through today, I loved it. It said, "Could you guys both replicate your model of care nationwide somehow?" She said, "How do I advocate effectively for home birth access and VBAC access in a state that actively prosecutes home birth and has restrictions on midwifery practice?" She specifically said she's in Nebraska, but we hear this all over the place. VBAC is not allowed. You cannot birth at home, and people are having unassisted births.Julie: Because they can't find the support.Meagan: They can't find the support and they are too scared to go to the hospital or birth centers. And so, yeah, the question is--Julie: What can women do in their local communities to advocate for positive change and more options in birth where they are more restricted?Dr. Stu: Blyss. Midwife Blyss: I wish I had a really great answer for this. I think that the biggest thing is to continue to talk out loud. And I'm really proud of you ladies for creating this podcast and doing the work that you do. Julie: Thanks.Midwife Blyss: I always believed when we had the Sanctuary that it really is about the woman advocating for herself. And the more that hospitals and doctors are being pushed by women to say, "We need this as an option because we're not getting the work," I think is really important. I support free birth, and I think that most of the women and men who decide to do that are very well educated.Julie: Yeah, for sure.Midwife Blyss: It is actually really very surprising for midwives to see that sometimes they even have better statistics than we do. But it saddens me that there's no choice. And, a woman who doesn't totally feel comfortable with doing that is feeling forced into that decision. So I think as women, we need to support each other, encourage each other, continue to talk out loud about what it is that we want and need and make this be a very important decision that a woman makes, and it's a way of reclaiming the power. I'm not highly political. I try and stay out of those arenas. And really, one of my favorite quotes from a reverend that I have been around said, "Be for something and against nothing." I really believe that the more. Julie: I like that.Midwife Blyss: Yeah, the more that we speak positively and talk about positive change and empowering ourselves and each other, it may come slowly, but that change will continue to come.Julie: Yeah, yeah.Dr. Stu: I would only add to that that I think unfortunately, in any country, whether it's a socialist country or a capitalist country, it's economics that drives everything. If you look at countries like England or the Netherlands, you find that they have, a really integrated system with midwives and doctors collaborating, and the low-risk patients are taken care of by the midwives, and then they consult with doctors and midwives can transfer from home to hospital and continue their care in that system, the national health system. I'm not saying that's the greatest system for somebody who's growing old and has arthritis or need spinal surgery or something like that, but for obstetrics, that sort of system where you've taken out liability and you've taken out economic incentive. All right, so how do you do that in our system? It's not very easy to do because everything is economically driven. One of the things that I've always advocated for is if you want to lower the C-section rate, increase the VBAC rate. It would be really simple for insurance companies, until we have Bernie Sanders with universal health care. But while we have insurance companies, if they would just pay twice as much for a vaginal birth and half as much for a Cesarean birth, then finally, VBACS and breech deliveries would be something. Oh, maybe we should start. We should be more supportive of those things because it's all about the money. But as long as the hospital gets paid more, doctors don't really get paid more. It's expediency for the doctor. He gets it done and goes home. But the hospital, they get paid a lot more, almost twice as much for a C-section than you do for vaginal birth. What's the incentive for the chief financial officer of any hospital to say to the OB department, "We need to lower our C-section rate?" One of the things that's happening are programs that insurance, and I forgot what it's called, but where they're trying, in California, they're trying to lower the primary C-section rate. There's a term for it where it's an acronym with four initials. Blyss, do you know what I'm talking about?Midwife Blyss: No. Dr. Stu: It's an acronym about a first-time mom. We're trying to avoid those C-sections.Julie: Yeah, the primary Cesarean.Dr. Stu: It's an acronym anyway, nonetheless. So they're in the right direction. Most hospitals are in the 30% range. They'd like to lower to 27%. That's a start.One of the ways to really do that is to support VBAC, and treat VBAC as Blyss said at the very beginning of the podcast is that a VBAC is just a normal labor. When people lump VBAC in with breech in twins, it's like, why are you doing that? Breech in twins requires special skill. VBAC requires a special skill also, which is a skill of doing nothing.Julie: Yeah, it's hard.Dr. Stu: It's hard for obstetricians and labor and delivery nurses and stuff like that to do nothing. But ultimately, VBAC is just a vaginal birth and doesn't require any special skill. When a doctor says, "We don't do VBAC, what he's basically saying, or she, is that I don't do vaginal deliveries," which is stupid because VBAC is just a vaginal delivery.Julie: Yeah, that's true.Meagan: Such a powerful point right there.Julie: Guys. We loved chatting with you so much. We wish we could talk with you all day long.Meagan: I would. All day long. I just want to be a fly on your walls if I could.Julie: If you're ever in Salt Lake City again--Meagan: He just was. Did you know about this?Julie: Say hi to Adrienne, but also connect with us because we would love to meet you. All right, well guys, everyone, all of our listeners, Women of Strength, we are going to drop all the information that you need to find Midwife Blyss and Dr. Stu-- their website, their podcast, and all of that in our show notes. So yeah, now you can find our podcast. You can even listen to our podcast on our website at thevbaclink.com/podcast. You can play episodes right from there. So if you don't know-- well, if you're listening to this podcast, then you probably have a podcast player already. But you know what? My mom still doesn't know what a podcast is, so I'm just gonna have to start sending her links right to our page.Meagan: Yep, just listen to us wherever and leave us a review and head over to Dr. Stu's Podcast and leave them a review.Julie: Subscribe because you're gonna love him, but don't stop listening to him us because you love us too. Remember that.Dr. Stu: I want to thank everybody who wrote in, and I'm sorry we didn't get to answer every question. We tend to blabber on a little bit asking these important questions, and hopefully you guys will have us back on again.Meagan: We would love to have you.Julie: Absolutely.Meagan: Yep, we will.Julie: Absolutely.Meagan: YeahClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Director Elaine Epstein sat down with the pod to talk about her women's health, bodily autonomy, reproductive rights, religion, and midwifery. Her film, ARREST THE MIDWIFE, tells the story of Mennonite and Amish women who because activists when licensed midwifes supporting their communities come under attack by the legal system. Sign up for the Friday Night Movie Newsletter for giveaways, curated episode playlists from the hosts and guests (including our mom), and at MOST one email per month (and probably fewer).  Closed captions for this episode are available via the player on the official Friday Night Movie homepage, the Podbean app and website, and YouTube.  The Friday Night Movie Family supports the following organizations: The Red Tent Fund | HIAS | Equal Justice Initiative | Asian American Journalists Association | The Entertainment Community Fund. Subscribe, rate and review us on your favorite podcast platform, including iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Play | Podbean | Overcast. Play along with Friday Night Movie at home! Read the FNM Glossary to learn the about our signature bits (e.g., Buy/Rent/Meh, I Told You Shows, Tradesies, etc). Email us at info@p4tmedia.com or tweet @FriNightMovie, @pancake4table, @chichiKgomez, and/or  @paperBKprincess.  Follow our creations and zany Instagram stories @frinightmovie, @FNMsisters, and @pancake4table. Follow us on Letterboxd (@pancake4table) where we're rating every movie we've EVER watched.  Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter for exclusive giveaways and news! Theme music by What Does It Eat.  Subscribe and leave a review on IOS or Android at frinightmovie.com.

  Today, we get real about every aspect of labor and delivery. In this episode, we're tackling a topic folks often avoid: having a bowel movement during childbirth. The truth is, it happens to everyone—it's just part of being human—and it's really not a big deal. We'll talk about why it occurs, how the medical team handles it, and why you shouldn't stress over something so natural. Let's dive in! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/maternalresources Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maternalresoruces/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeOB Thank you for being part of our community, and until next time, let's continue to support, uplift, and celebrate the incredible journey of working moms and parenthood. Together, we can create a more equitable and nurturing world for all.   Shop our book!  The NatureBack Method for Birth https://naturebackbook.myshopify.com/

In this inspiring episode of the Inspire Health Podcast, Jen has APRN and midwife, Grace Gilroy on to share her transformational  journey from chronic illness to healing. After being diagnosed with Lichen Sclerosus, she found relief through holistic care, diet, and modalities like pelvic floor therapy and energy healing. Grace's story is proof that your body can heal and that you should always keep searching for a solution.    Time Stamps:  00:00 - Introduction 07:15 -The emotional and physical challenges of living with LS. 22:06 - How Grace embraced a holistic approach and shifted her mindset toward healing. 28:00 - Understanding how stress impacts our bodies and why managing it is essential for healing. 34:05 - Navigating relationships and intimacy while living with health challenges. 45:00 - How understanding your body and health can empower you to take control of your healing.   Connect with Jen: 

It is our privilege and joy to share the birth story of our sixth child, Wilder Coast. Join us as we recount his birth from each of our perspectives as well as our thoughts on homebirth for the first time.  This episode will encourage and uplift you as we give testimony to God's goodness and love for his children. Samaritan Ministries: www.samaritanministries.org/wavesandlilacsLike, Follow and Subscribe:Please leave a review on Apple PodcastsSubscribe to Bethany's email listFind us on Instagram: Podcast: whateveristrueco Bethany: wavesandlilacs Jake: jakeoffscript

Links: Airdoctorpro.com code BIRTHHOUR for up to $300 off! Know Your Options Online Childbirth Course - use code 100OFF for $100 off. Beyond the First Latch Course (comes free with KYO course)  Support The Birth Hour via Patreon! You can now gift memberships to Patreon here! Carolyn's first birth story can be found here. 

“I don't think anyone pushes like a VBAC mom pushes.”In this episode, we chat about premature rupture of membranes (PROM) with Noel, a stay-at-home mom from Texas, as she shares her personal experiences and successful VBAC story. We dive deep into the importance of finding a supportive provider and the realities of induction. Noel was never able to fully dilate during her first birth. She and Meagan talk about the impact of meaningful milestones (like reaching 10 centimeters!) during a VBAC labor. Also, it's never too early to hire your doula!Premature Rupture of MembranesPreterm and Term Prelabor Rupture of MembranesNeeded WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, Women of Strength. It is March which means it is my second C-section baby's birth month. I love March so much because it's also when the sun starts feeling a little bit warmer, and you start hearing some birds chirp. We're kind of getting to that spring season, depending on where you are. Let's be honest, I'm in Utah, so it's still probably snowing every day in March. But I love March so much. And we're kicking it off with a really great episode. We have our friend, Noel. Hello, Noel.Noel: Hi.Meagan: I am so excited for her to be on today. She is actually in Texas, and tell us where again in Texas.Noel: The Woodlands, Texas. It's right near Houston.Meagan: Okay, perfect. And this is where you had your baby?Noel: No, so I actually had my baby in Dallas. That's where we were living at the time.Meagan: You were in Dallas. It says it right here on your little form. Okay, so she was in Dallas, you guys. So Dallas peeps or really just Texas peeps or really anybody. We know people travel for support and things like that. This is definitely a story to listen to. And then we are going to be talking a little bit about PROM. If you haven't ever heard about PROM, PROM is P-R-O-M and that means premature rupture of membranes, which means your water breaks, but labor doesn't really start, so it breaks prematurely to labor beginning.There's also PPROM, premature rupture of membranes, which means your baby is preterm. So we're going to dive into that in just a minute. But I wanted to tell you a little bit more about Noel. She is a stay-at-home mom with two boys. One is 3.5 and one is 5, so it's been a little bit since she had her baby. She actually submitted a while ago. We found this and I was like, I really want to talk about this because one, we talk about PROM, two, we talk about finding a supportive provider, and three, we talk about induction. I think it's important to note that if VBAC is more ideal without induction stereotypically, but it is still very, very possible with induction. I think there are so many people who are told that it's not possible out there or don't think it's possible or think that the risk is just astronomically increased when it comes to induction, and that's not true. So Noel has been doing lots of great things. In fact, she just told me a fun thing. She just started a company. Can you tell us a little bit more about that?Noel: Yeah. So we just started a travel agency. It's called Noel Mason Travel, and I'm specializing in Disney. I love Disney, Disney cruises, Universal, all-inclusives, and then eventually just catch-all travel.So yeah. I'm excited. Meagan: Love it. Fun fact about me that you might not know, and it's even more about my husband, we're a big Disney family. In fact, we just went to Disney World for the second time this year. We just got back literally two days ago.Noel: Oh my gosh. We're about to go.Meagan: We love Disney World so much. And my husband is a die-hard Disney fan.Noel: It's so fun.Meagan: It's exciting.I was just told recently by a friend that we definitely need to try a cruise, so maybe we need to connect. But yes, if you guys are looking to take your family to Disney World, definitely reach out to Noel. Of course, you can ask VBAC questions. Noel: Yeah.Meagan: Okay, so I'm going to go back. In addition to starting a travel agency, she loves cooking and is very passionate about pregnancy. She actually started an Instagram documenting her VBAC journey. In addition to fun and travel, I wanted to see if you could tell us more about your Instagram page where people can go and follow that page from when you were doing that.Noel: Yeah, so it's called Docnoelmason. I'm obviously not a doctor, it was just kind of a joke. But I created that Instagram at a time when I was grieving my first birth. After therapy, I realized how important it was for me to just talk. It didn't matter if anyone was listening. I just wanted to talk and educate. I created this Instagram basically just to educate my friends, none of them who were pregnant yet, on how to avoid a C-section, C-section recovery, if you have one. It was just a video diary. There's so much content of me just sitting on the couch to my camera, ugly views, just talking about what was currently going on.Meagan: I love that. I think that's going to be something that people will connect with because that's where we're all at. We just want to sit there and hear where someone else who's going through the exact same thing is. I just feel like we connect so much and that's why I love our community on Facebook, and I love this podcast, and of course, we love our Instagram pages and things and hearing everybody connect. We've been told that people have made actual friendships through this community. It's so awesome. So thank you for sharing that. We will have all of the links for the Instagram page and her new travel agency in the show notes if you are interested in checking that out. We do have a topic of the week instead of a review of the week. If you're just joining us, we have, for so many years, done a review every single week where people comment and leave reviews, and we share them. We're still loving those, and we're still sharing those. So if you haven't yet, leave us a review on the podcast. It really does help us so much in so many ways and truly helps other Women of Strength just like you find the podcast. You can check that out at Google. You can Google "The VBAC Link" or on Apple or Spotify or wherever you're listening to your podcast, leave a review. It'd be greatly appreciated. But today, we do have a topic of PROM. So like I mentioned, Noelle had PROM. I had PROM. She's gonna tell you more about her story of PROM. And I've shared my story a million times about PROM, but they say 10% of pregnancies will have PROM, premature rupture of membranes. I was 3 for 3. It just happened for me. That can be sometimes hard because water breaks, and what do we do? I mean, Noel, what were you told to do if your water broke? Did anyone say anything?Noel: With the first pregnancy, I was told to go straight to the hospital. Don't delay. Get there immediately. With the second pregnancy and a better team, I was told, "Just keep doing what you're supposed to do." Walk if you want to, but just act like nothing's happened.Meagan: Go carry on with normal life.Noel: Carry on. Yeah.Meagan: Yes. That is definitely something that we would suggest. Now, there are certain things that we want to watch out for. If our water breaks and it's green, nasty, meconium-stained, it might be a reason to go in to your provider or call your provider and have a discussion with them. There's prolapsed cord. That can happen, and that is a very serious situation where we need to get on our head and get our butt in the air and get to the hospital. If there is a cord coming out after your water breaks, it is an emergency situation and is not something to just hang out and carry on with normal life. But when water breaks, what I was instructed to do with my third pregnancy, also like you with a better team, a more educated self and I had doulas and midwives and everybody. It was your water breaks, you do a little check-in. What does the color look like? Okay, is it clear? How are you feeling? Do you feel like you have a fever? Do you feel flu-like symptoms? Maybe take your actual temperature and see if you have a temperature. Okay. We don't have a temperature. We're not contracting. All is well. Put a pad on. It's probably going to keep coming. Just to let you know, you will keep leaking and then keep going. Keep going. Now, it is important to know that it can take hours. I'm serious. Hours and hours for labor to start. And Noel's going to share her story in a second. But for me, it really took 18 hours until I was really going with my second. And then with my first, I actually started contracting soon-ish. So it might not be technically PROM, but I started cramping and contracting, but it really took until 12 hours for me to even be 3 centimeters dilated which was very normal as a first-time mom. Know that if your water breaks, it is not like, run to the hospital. We're having a baby right this second. You're gonna have a baby in the car. It's not always like that when your water breaks and contractions aren't starting. So just to let you know, about 95% of all births will occur within 28 hours of PROM when it happens at term at 37 weeks. Now, PPROM is, like I said, preterm premature rupture of membranes. That is something that you will probably want to go in for if your baby is preterm. That happens at about 3% of pregnancies. I just think it's important to note that it happens. Noel and I are proof of that. If it happens, it doesn't mean run. You don't have to run to the hospital. You don't have to think you're having a baby right this moment, but it's something I suggest checking in with your provider about beforehand saying, "If my water breaks, what would you suggest?" They might suggest go straight to the hospital. We know it's not necessarily what you need to do, but at least you know your provider's suggestions. Okay. All right, we are going to take a quick break for the intro, and then we're going to get into Noel's story. All right, Ms. Noel. I have taken so much of your time already, so thank you so much for talking PROM with me. Yeah, let's turn the time over to you.Noel: Okay. So with my first birth, I was the first of my friends to get pregnant and I just had this very fairytale view of pregnancy and birth. I really just knew what happened in movies. So like you said, the water breaks, it's water everywhere, and you run to the hospital. I just had no idea what to expect. I had listened to some birth stories enough to know that getting a doula would be important, but at the time, I thought that is way too expensive and something that I, in my first pregnancy, don't need which is so silly looking back now, especially with my C-section bill being what it was "too expensive". It would have saved me a lot of money. But yeah, I did no techniques like Spinning Babies, no chiro, no PT. I just felt very unprepared. And looking back now, I think my doctor really preferred it that way. I think she didn't ever push me in that direction. I also had SPD and it basically felt like a knife was jamming up anytime I would walk. And again, my doctor never pushed me in any direction. She just said, "Rest when you can." That was awful. I was also told I had an anterior placenta which is a weird thing to remember, but I remember being a little bit scared by that. I guess that's why I logged it. They told me there was no risk to having one. It didn't really matter. But now looking it up, of course I know that can really affect the position of your baby. So flash forward to my growth scan. No surprise, I was told that he was sunny-side up. Of course, I asked, "Is there anything I need to do? Does that matter?" And the doctor said, "No, totally fine. Doesn't matter." You'll have a healthy Baby. So I said, "Okay." They found my fluid was low on that scan as well. Of course, I didn't ask what the level was. I just said, "Okay." They said, "We want to induce you in the next few days." So again, I was so excited to have this baby out. With my first one, I was like, let's get it on the books.Meagan: That's very common.Noel: Yeah. Yeah. So many of my friends I see doing the same thing. Again, you just don't know any better. You're ready to not be pregnant. We scheduled it for July 3rd, which again, I think was a huge mistake a day before a holiday. But again, I wasn't really thinking. I was put on Pitocin. I was already a little bit dilated, put on Pitocin and I was dilating about a centimeter every hour. Pretty uneventful. I would have to move positions. The baby's heart was acting up a little bit, but nothing really to worry about. I got to 9 centimeters. They brought out the table, all the fun vacuum forceps, and I was ready to go. That was probably 4:00. Well, every hour they kept coming in and checking me, and I was still a 9. So a couple hours into that, my doctor came in and said, "We're going to have an emergency C-section." That was that. No questions, just this is what's happening.Meagan: Can I ask why they called an emergency? Was baby struggling or did they just use the emergency to justify as being a Cesarean?Noel: Yeah, I think at the time of day, "Let's get this baby out of you before it's midnight. We want to go home." But no, aby was fine. Like I said, the heart was acting up a little bit, but no one was concerned. She just said, "This is too long to be dilated like this and not have any movement." Again, a first-time mom, I was just like, okay. I remember crying. My mom's crying. I'm crying. We're both just a little nervous about what's about to happen. The doctor came in and sees us crying and goes, "Don't worry, I'm going to have you back in that bikini by the end of summer." It still just has stuck with me what a routine moment this was for her and not a big deal to her. She just thought I would be worried about my body. It was just so ridiculous. The birth was fine. You know, we talked about the Bachelorette. It just was not what I thought would happen as they were operating.Meagan: During your birth?Noel: During my surgery, both the JOBs are talking about the Bachelorette, and I'm chiming in, and I'm just thinking, this is not what I had planned. This is not the moment I envisioned. It was really weird. So that next morning I'm recovering and my mom comes in and is like, "Hey, I don't know if you know, but one of my friends had a VBAC after her C-section with her second baby. She had a VBAC." And I asked her what a VBAC was and we talked about it. Right then I decided, this is what I'm going to do. I'm not doing this again. I am not doing this again. I'm going to have a VBAC. Flash forward about a year, I decided we would get pregnant again or would start trying, and we got pregnant right away. Thank God. In this time, I happened to find this article on Google listing hospitals to avoid for C-sections in the United States. Yep. You know, the article. Mine was number eight. Number eight. I could only laugh at that point, like, okay, all right. This time I'm going to be doing my research.Meagan: Yeah.Noel: So when it came to choosing my provider, I really felt like that was the biggest thing that could set me up for success. I knew I wanted to have the baby in a hospital again. I wasn't sure if it was going to be with a midwife or OB. I joined a Facebook page. It wasn't ICAN, and it was a group our of Dallas. It was a C-section Awareness Group, the Dallas page. There was a supportive OB who was mentioned there.  I had an appointment with him and he was fine. Nothing to write home about. This was also during COVID, so all of those rules were in place and work mattered. I also started searching for a doula at 8 weeks because I just figured, if I'm going to have one, let's have one. I'm going to have them the whole time. One of those doulas suggested moving practices to a group called Dallas Midwife Associates, and now they're Midwife and Co. They are known for supporting VBACs, and the hospital that they deliver in Baylor is also known for just being a very VBAC-supportive hospital. So I switched to that group, and the coolest thing about them is you see a different midwife every appointment you go to. They just cycle you. So by the time you're ready to have your baby, you know everyone on the team. They all know you. You're not worried about your provider being on vacation. There's no pressure for induction or anything. They were so amazing and awesome cheerleaders. The OB who they are in practice with who would do a C-section if I needed one or became high-risk and had to go see him, he was also supportive. So that was awesome. I could not recommend them highly enough. But yeah, just preparing this time, I think, being so clear with myself about why I wanted this VBAC. For me, it was the biggest thing at the time was the recovery. My kids were going to be 21 months apart, and I did not see how I was going to be able to have a baby and another baby if I can't lift up the first one. He was still in a crib. I didn't see how that was going to work. And so the recovery was super important to me. The experience was important to me. I wanted to do everything in my power this time to know that if I had a C-section, it was a true emergency, and that I could look back on that birth and say, "Well, this is what was supposed to happen. This is why C-sections exist," and not, "Oh, gosh, I could have done XYZ differently this time." I also had the SPD again and was not about to let that fly. With a toddler, you're constantly moving, so I couldn't be in pain all the time. I went to go see a chiropractor. I went to physical therapy. They both recommended Spinning Babies as well as my doula. So I did Spinning Babies. I was kind of crazy about it. The whole don't recline more than 90 degrees, the flashlight trick thing, that was everything to me. So 30 weeks on, you would not catch me reclining. I sat with the best posture or just laid flat on the couch because I was not about to have a sunny-side-up baby.Meagan: I can totally relate to that. I didn't sit on a couch. I didn't even sit on a couch because I was like, I'll sink too much and it will turn my pelvis in. I remember driving all back up and pelvis tucked forward.Noel: On the tip of your chair.Meagan: On the tip of my chair not wanting to have a posterior baby at, all. And then I got one.Noel: It just shows you-- yeah, exactly. You're not really in control of it. I asked about my placenta this time. Again, that's nothing you can prevent, but I knew I had lower chances if it wasn't anterior. That was good for me to know that if it was, I would need to work even harder. I don't know how I could sit up any straighter, but do my best. And then I also had what's called an overactive uterus. I guess I just had constant Braxton Hicks. Google would tell you to go into the hospital, you are in labor. So many Braxton Hicks. My belly was just constantly hard. So because of that, I didn't do any of the tea. That would make it worse. Anytime I tried, I would have more Braxton Hicks.Meagan: Because it's a uterine toner. So that's what it is. It is made to help a uterus that is contracting be more efficient. If your uterus is hyperactive already contracting, it's going to try and make it contract.Noel: Yeah, it would go nuts. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I did do the dates. I'm a big believer in the dates. Plus they taste awesome. So there was really no harm in that. Okay, so flash forward. It's 38 weeks. I was off and on higher blood pressure. But on that day, I had a reading of 137/95. They began to get a little worried and just said, "Okay, you should monitor this at, home that whole week, and then at 39 weeks, we can figure out if this is still a problem." They did mention an induction if the blood pressure continued to rise or stay the same. I came in at 39 weeks. I was planning on not getting my membranes swept. I wasn't into the risk of that, but with the induction looming, I guess I should say. They did test my blood pressure that day, and it was 137/100. The protein in the urine was negative, but they were still a little worried because it wasn't really going down. I went out to the parking lot. I called my doula, and we decided that I would get swept at that point. The induction was just going to be a few days away, so we figured the risk was probably worth it at that point and went ahead to get checked for how dilated I was. I really wanted to start with the Foley bulb instead of Pitocin if it was possible, but they ended up finding I was 4 centimeters dilated and 70% effaced. Meagan: Okay, that's great.Noel: It looked like I was ready to go. I got swept that same day. Again, I said this was COVID, and the shots had been out for like a month. I found a place for my husband to go get a COVID vaccine because I was crazy pregnant, hormonal, and I kept hearing all these horrible stories about husbands not being able to be in the birth because of them having COVID or something. He's a Baylor sports fan, and Baylor been awful for forever but happened to make it to the national championship that day and that night. He was like, "I don't want to feel sick for this game. I'm not going to get it." Of course, me being almost 40 weeks pregnant could have cared less how he felt and if he was going to feel sick, so the poor guy gets his shot. I'm having contractions at that point, thinking that it worked. So I'm walking around the living room like we're about to have this baby, and he starts shaking and drops his water. Glass shatters all over the ground. He came down with a 104 fever in the middle of this game he has been waiting for his whole entire life. I'm contracting. It was so stressful. So I called my neighbor and was like, "Hey, I think I'm having this baby tonight. I might need you to drive me to the hospital. I don't know if Luke's going to be able to be there." I mean, he was in bed, not okay. Awful, huh? It was so awful. I was just praying, "Lord, I know I've been asking for this baby to come, but please, please, please, can you stop all of this?" I woke up, and completely, everything had stopped. So thankfully, his fever went away throughout that next day. My doula recommended I go to get acupuncture. I thought acupuncture was the same thing as acupressure. I was expecting to go in for a massage.Meagan: Yeah, very different. Very different.Noel: Very different. Very different. I was a little freaked out by all the needles. The next morning I woke up and thought, "Oh, crap, that didn't work. What was the point?" That morning was the 8th. I had an appointment later that day to talk about the induction. I dropped off my son at school. I always heard on this podcast, labor will start when you put your kid to bed or they go to school. I always thought that was so funny. I didn't think it would be me. I dropped off my son at school. I go to my chiropractor's office, and I text my doula and I'm like, "I think my thighs are wet. I feel like maybe my water broke." But, you know, there's so much nasty stuff going on down there at the end of pregnancy. I kind of talked myself out of it. I went to the bathroom and was like, no, I'm just not in control my bladder anymore. I don't know what's going on. On the whole drive home, I just felt more and more liquid. And then getting out of my car, my neighbor and I were getting out at the same time, and I start walking and could just feel more and more wetness. I just stopped and waited for him to go inside. And finally it hit me like, okay, this is my water. Yeah. So I called my midwives and my doula and everyone said, "Just continue doing what you're doing. Everything looked normal. The liquid was clear. I really did not want to be induced. They knew that. My doula knew that." So that whole day, I did everything I could. I did curb-walking. My doula gave me a circuit to work on. I did the Spinning Babies, and nothing happened. My blood pressure was still high, so they wanted to see me that afternoon to do a stress test to make sure the baby was okay and check on blood pressure again. So I went in, did the stress test, baby was fine. But they said, "We'd like you to go to the hospital tonight around 9:00 if nothing has started." Nothing started, so I was upset. But again, I trusted my team and that was the difference here. They were still great with me having a VBAC with Pitocin. There was never a moment where they considered not letting that happen. So I got to the hospital, asked if I could labor until 3:00 AM and just see if it started. Didn't start. They got me on that Pitocin. And at this point, I was still hoping to do things as natural as I could while being in the hospital. I was really hoping to avoid an epidural. I again was not happy about the risks of an epidural, but those Pitocin contractions really were coming on strong. I remember going and trying to labor on the toilet and sitting on the toilet and feeling and hearing what felt like a bowling ball, like a dunk, and I think it was probably the baby settling into a better position. At the time, I hated it. I hated that feeling. I literally looked around and was like, "Did you guys hear that?" It felt internally so loud. At that moment, the contractions started coming on even stronger than before. At this point, it had been 24 hours without sleep. I was not taking the contractions well. I said, "Let's do a check. If I am an 8 or higher, I'm having this baby with that epidural. If not, we'll see what happens." I was still a 4. And so again, I don't think I would recommend it if you would like to go without an epidural. Don't get checked. Just don't get checked. I knew that. I knew that, but it was a different moment when I was actually in labor. So the upside is I was finally able to rest whenever I got that epidural. A couple hours later, I was a full 10 and ready to go. They had me labor down for a little bit, but I will never forget that moment as a VBAC mom when they told me I was out a 10 having never gotten to the 10. Oh, I get chills just thinking about it. It was so special. I labored down for an hour. They turned down the epidural. I could not feel my legs. And so again, Baylor is a teaching hospital. So I had a nurse in training, I guess I had my midwife and then they had a midwife in training at the time, and then husband and my doula all in my room just surrounded. My husband hates it when I say this, but it was the feminine energy. It was just so amazing. Everyone was so hyped and excited for me. I don't think anyone pushes like a VBAC mom pushes. I felt like I was in a throw up. I had this ugly rag on me, but I could have cared less. I was just so excited to get to push. The baby came out with my first. My first baby was 7 pounds-12 ounces, 21 inches long, a normal-sized baby. This baby came out and was 10-pounds, 4-ounces, and 24 inches long. I grew a mega-baby compared to this first one. It was just so great. I didn't do the growth scan with this baby because I was so afraid that if they told me that the baby was big that I might be tempted to get a C-section or scared out of having a VBAC. I knew our bodies were made to do this. No matter how big this baby is, my body can do it. So yeah, that was that.Meagan: Oh my gosh, that is amazing. I am so grateful that you had that team and that energy because that energy is so important, and I do believe that it helps us VBAC moms, and really any mom get through that end stretch that sometimes can be intimidating or it can be longer, and then I love hearing that you got to not only have your VBAC, but then it was like, "Not only did I VBAC, I VBAC'd with a baby that was almost three pounds heavier, bigger than my other baby." So many Women of Strength listen to this podcast. I'm sure you've seen it in your forums. People don't believe that they can do it because our providers and our system tell us we can't because we go through these growth ultrasounds and they create some fear. I love that. I love it so stinking much. That's so amazing. Congratulations.Noel: Thank you. Thank you. It was amazing.Meagan: Are there any other tips that you would suggest in you finding a provider or dealing with PROM and not getting frustrated? I think it said one of the best tips that you would give to someone was making sure your provider and the providers they work with are not just VBAC-friendly, but they're really supportive. Do you have any tips to that?Noel: Yeah. That is, again, what I always tell my friends because if your team doesn't trust that you can do this, that's going to really set you up for failure. I just know so many people who are like, "Oh yeah, I asked my doctor if I could have a VBAC after my C-section and they said, "Sure, we'll just see how this will go, and my heart drops." I'm like, this is not going to go well.Meagan: Actually, that's a red flag.Noel: It's a huge red flag. It's a huge red flag. Yeah. I know me who can be a warrior. It was really important to me that everyone who would be around me was supportive because if I had one person come in there and try to poke my bubble, it could start getting in my head and that I don't need that. So, yeah.Meagan: Yeah. Not even just your providers, but your team and your atmosphere around you. I mean, sometimes in that end of pregnancy when we're being told, "Oh, you why haven't had a baby yet?" or "Your baby's gonna get too big," especially if they were ever given a diagnosis of CPD where their pelvis is too small or anything like that, the things that people say can really get into our mind, so we have to protect that bubble and not let anyone try and poke it and pop it because you deserve to feel safe, love, supported, heard in that bubble.Noel: I think listening to the podcast. I listened to this podcast every single day while I would walk with my firstborn. That helped give me the security. I knew, okay, this other mom had this story that's similar to mine. I can do this. If she could do this, I could do this. So it didn't matter whenever I had people come in who had no idea what a VBAC was try to talk me out of it. You have no idea what you're talking about. I have equipped myself with so many other women's stories. Meagan: You're like, "I actually do."Noel: Yeah, right. I'm Dr. Noel Mason. I know it.Meagan: So yeah, I love that. I am Doc Noel. Another thing that I pulled out from your story was you reaching 10 centimeters and having that feeling and not even maybe realizing how badly you needed to get to that point or hear those words. They're just milestone markers. I was in that too. I needed to get past 3 centimeters because I was told that my body couldn't. Once I was past 3 centimeters, it was like, okay. Okay. Even though I knew in my mind I could dilate past three centimeters, I knew I could. There was still this weird hang up, so once I heard that number past 3 centimeters, I can't explain to you this utter relief and aha moment of like, okay. It gave me this surge of power and strength to hear these words. I think it's really important while we're preparing for our VBAC to process our past births and realize what might be triggering and what might be milestone markers that help encourage you and communicate that with your team. Let them know, "You guys, I have never made it past 9 centimeters. I hung out there forever. I was told I needed an emergency C-section. The number 10 is going to be a big deal for me. I need you guys to help me with that," or whatever it may be. Or, "I really don't want this to happen. Can you help me avoid this?" I think communicating with our team comes with preparing for a VBAC, but also processing things mentally and understanding those big moments that you need is okay to be like, "Yeah. That actually was a big deal for me. This is a big deal for me." My water breaking was a trigger for me. But then to hear that my body could get past 3 centimeters on its own was a huge deal. So I just love that you were like, "I felt that," because I could just really remember back when I felt that moment, of like, yes, yes, I can.Noel: I can do this.Meagan: I can do this. And Women of Strength, as you're listening, I want you to know you can do this. Noel and I are two of thousands and thousands and thousands and hundreds on this podcast who have come before you who have done it. It is possible, but you do have to set yourself up in all the right ways. We know even then, sometimes you can do everything right and still not have the outcome that you want, but our goal here at The VBAC Link is to help you have a better experience. So getting that information, building your team, finding that supportive provider, all of that, and then also knowing your options if a Cesarean is needed, I just think it's so important to know that you deserve it. You can do it. You are worth it. You are worth it. And like Noel mentioned in the beginning, I didn't hire a doula because of costs. I just thought it could be by myself, and then she had this massive Cesarean bill. Sometimes these doulas or education courses or whatever, going to PTs and chiropractors may seem like it's too much financially or you can't do it, but in the end, it really pays off. I'll tell you, there's not a single day in my life that I look back and be like, I can't believe that I went to this two chiropractors and paid this much for that, paid for my doulas, paid for an out-of-hospital birth. I never even questioned that. That money was well spent. Even if I didn't have a VBAC and had to transfer and have a Cesarean, it still would have been well spent because I had a better experience. I felt empowered. I'm also going to plug Be Her Village. I'm sure you guys have heard me talking about it before. I love that company. If you are in that situation where you don't feel like you can financially do it, go register for Be Her Village. You guys, it's a registry for doulas and postpartum and PT and chiropractor and all these things. It's a place where you can go because I'm sure Noel will say it's worth it.Noel: Definitely. Yes, definitely.Meagan: Yeah. And hire a doula early on. I think having a doula early on in your pregnancy who can literally walk through this journey with you is so powerful. It might not be something where you talk to her every day. It might not be like that, but having that person in your corner, I love that you were able to go outside and call and be like, "This is a situation. Let's walk through it," and have that sounding ear and extra opinion and in the end supporting you in whatever you decided, and you decided together that you wanted to do that.I think it's so, so powerful. So as a reminder also, we have a whole registry of VBAC doulas. You can go to thevbaclink.com/findadoula. They are literally trained in VBAC and know the options and want to help you navigate that. Any other tips that you have?Noel: No, but thinking of the doula thing, again, at eight weeks, that is so important. I know a lot of people are like, "I don't even know if this baby is viable yet." I don't even think I had had my first--Meagan: Ultrasound?Noel: Yeah, yeah. I had no idea. But if it weren't for interviewing those doulas, I probably would have stuck with that original provider that I had in mind and gone the whole pregnancy with them. Because if they would have told me to switch at 20-something weeks and my provider was fine and supportive, there would have been no reason to switch. I'm so glad I talked to them when I did.Meagan: Yes. Oh, that is such a powerful thing to remind people of because doulas know the area. Doulas work with these providers all the time. It's outside of our scope to be like, "This provider is garbage. Don't go," or tell you what to do exactly. But at the same time, and maybe it's not really outside of our scope to say that. Maybe it's not really. It's maybe just not appropriate to be like, "This is garbage." But at the same time, we can be like, "Hey, this is what I've seen. I would encourage you to check these people out also. Hey, here are some questions to ask for your provider."Noel: Yes.Meagan: I love that. The doulas know the providers in the area, and they can help guide you through what really is that supportive provider.Noel: Yeah. And supportive hospital or birth center, whatever. They know. They've been there. They have been to more than we have. Yeah. Yeah.Meagan: Yeah. There is a hospital here in Utah that anytime someone wants to VBAC, at first, for a long time, I was like, "Okay, you know, just do whatever feels best," until I saw too much and now I was like, "Listen, I'm gonna be straight with you, and you don't even have to hire me if you don't like my honesty. But if you want a VBAC, you're going to the wrong place."Noel: That's powerful.Meagan: I have said that. You're going to the wrong place. Trust these people. They know. They've seen it. They're there. They're really there.Noel: Yeah. Yeah.Meagan: Yes. Okay, well thank you so much again for your time today and your stories and congratulations on your cute, chunky baby.Noel: Thank you. ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Ariel Lawhon discusses the real-life early American midwife at the center of her novel The Frozen River.  Want our new "Civics is my cup of tea" mug? CLICK HERE TO DONATE AND GET YOURS!CLICK HERE: Visit our website to see all of our episodes, donate to the podcast, sign up for our newsletter, get free educational materials, and more! To see Civics 101 in book form, check out A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works by Hannah McCarthy and Nick Capodice, featuring illustrations by Tom Toro.Check out our other weekly NHPR podcast, Outside/In - we think you'll love it!