Podcasts about midwives

Sherlock Holmes never once used deduction.   Open any of the stories and watch what he actually does. He notices a tan line on a wrist or mud dried on a boot and leaps to the best-fitting explanation. Then he went looking for evidence. Deduction guarantees its conclusions. What Holmes did was guess. He was better at it than everyone around him because he treated guessing as a discipline.   The discipline of guessing is one of the most useful thinking skills nobody ever taught you.   Let's get into it. What Is Abductive Reasoning? There are three kinds of reasoning. School taught you two of them.   Deduction moves from a general rule to a specific conclusion. For example, all mammals have hearts. Dogs are mammals. So dogs have hearts. If the starting statements are true, the conclusion must be true.   Induction goes the other way, from specific observations to a general pattern. For example, if you see a thousand white swans, you conclude all swans are white. Probably right, but never guaranteed. Europeans believed exactly that until they reached Australia and found black swans. I covered both in an earlier episode on logical reasoning skills.   Abduction is the third kind, the one school skipped, and it runs reasoning backward. You start at the far end, with the result or fact in front of you, then you work back to whatever would explain it. For example, the lawn is wet at six in the morning. You didn't see it rain, and nothing rules out a broken sprinkler. But rain explains it best, so you accept it for now and get on with your day.   Notice that you did that without deciding to. You are running abductive reasoning constantly, on faces and sales numbers and to explain the silence after you finish talking in a meeting. We all leap from evidence to an explanation and then treat the explanation as fact. You already know how to do this. What you don't have is the habit of catching yourself at it and doing it deliberately when it matters.   Now go back to Holmes. In A Study in Scarlet, the first thing he ever does on the page is shake hands with a stranger and say, "You have been in Afghanistan, I perceive." Holmes explains it later. The man had a medical look but a soldier's bearing. His face was dark, but his wrists were fair, so the tan came from somewhere hot. His left arm hung stiffly, so it had been injured. None of those clues proves anything on its own. Holmes asked which single story would cover them all: an army doctor, wounded and sent home from the Afghan war. That is abduction, not deduction, and Conan Doyle used the wrong word for it his entire career. Why AI Can't Do Abductive Reasoning Abduction is the only one of the three that creates a new idea. Deduction draws out what was already inside the starting statements, and induction stretches a pattern you already saw. That difference used to be a philosopher's distinction. It matters now because AI has gotten very good at the other two. AI finds patterns in billions of examples and extends them, induction at a scale no human can match. What it cannot reliably do is face a fact that fits no pattern and come up with an explanation worth betting on. That leap is still uniquely human, and the people who make it well are getting more valuable every year.   Meanwhile, abduction as a skill is getting harder to keep, because search engines and chatbots now answer most questions in under a minute, and abduction doesn't work that way. It asks you to live with "probably" for a while, holding an answer you know might be wrong and working anyway. How to Improve Your Abductive Reasoning Skills None of this is a talent you either have or don't have. Watch a good doctor or a talented designer at work, and you will see the same four moves. Each one can be practiced. 1. Notice What Doesn't Fit In 1847, a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis ran a maternity clinic in Vienna. It had two wards, one staffed by doctors and one by midwives, and in the doctors' ward new mothers were dying of fever at three times the rate. Some women gave birth in the street rather than be admitted, and the street births survived at a better rate.   Everyone was ignoring the numbers. Semmelweis treated the numbers as the question. What could explain the best-trained people in the hospital losing the most patients? His answer came when a colleague cut his finger during an autopsy and died of the same fever. Doctors went from dissecting corpses straight to delivering babies. Midwives never touched corpses. He ordered handwashing in chlorine, and the deaths collapsed decades before anyone had heard of germ theory.   Charles Sanders Peirce, the philosopher who gave the skill its name, built that noticing into his own definition of abduction. The surprising fact is observed, he wrote, and only then does the search for an explanation begin. When something fits what you already believe, we accept it without noticing. Surprise is the alarm that the automatic version has failed. It means the failure that matters happens before any of the reasoning starts. The risk is that you cannot explain a surprise you never see. We have spent years learning to rationalize them away.   When reality does something you didn't predict, write it down before you talk yourself out of it. 2. Generate More Than One Explanation Last week I told you about the chrome-looking keyboard snafu. An HP laptop was running below plan, and none of the data would say why. Before anybody knew about the keyboard, I asked the product team what they thought was happening.   I got three answers. It needs more memory. It needs a bigger hard drive. It needs longer battery life. Each one arrived with a competitor's machine held up beside ours. That one has more memory. That one has the bigger drive. Every comparison was accurate, and each one had been picked because it supported the answer.   Three explanations sounded like the work was done. All three said the same thing: that we were losing on specifications, which is what the team was already organized to believe. None of the explanations would have sent someone into a store on a Saturday to watch a customer make the purchase decision.   So when you catch a genuine surprise, run it through this sequence instead:   State the surprise in one sentence. "Sales dropped 15% in a quarter when we improved the product." If you can't state it cleanly, you don't yet know what you're explaining. Force at least three explanations. The third is usually where the thinking starts, because the first two are the ones everybody already believes. Include one explanation you don't want to be true. If every explanation on your list flatters you and your team, the list isn't finished. Write down what each explanation would predict. If A is true, what else should you be able to see? That turns a guess into something you can check. 3. Choose the Best Explanation, Not the First One Philosophers call abduction "inference to the best explanation," and the key word is "best." Best doesn't mean first, and it rarely means the cleverest.   The one you want covers the most facts while assuming the least. Then, before you commit, decide what evidence would make you drop it. A doctor hearing chest pain does this out loud, ruling out the dangerous explanation first even when she expects it to be something ordinary. 4. Hold It Loosely and Test It Cheaply The best explanation is still a bet, nothing stronger. The moment you forget the word "bet," the skill starts working against you. Many will make a sharp abductive leap, fall in love with it, and then spend six months protecting it instead of testing it.   Designers handle this better than almost anyone. A prototype is an abductive test, the cheapest way to let the world argue with your guess before you commit real money. Whatever your field, find your version of the prototype. Good innovators are wrong as often as everyone else. They just find out sooner, and it costs them less.  Try This Before Friday Think of the last thing at work that went differently than you expected. A deal that died, a number that moved the wrong way, a good person who quit. You already have an explanation for it. Notice how fast it came. Somebody asked what happened, and you had an answer before they finished the question, and everyone nodded, because it was reasonable, and reasonable answers end conversations.   Go back to it this week. Not to find out whether you were right, because you were probably close enough. Go back because two other explanations fit those same facts and you never considered either one. Find them, and make one something you would rather not be true.   Then find the smallest test that would tell them apart. A phone call. One question to somebody who was in the room. It is almost never expensive, and that is the part worth sitting with, because it means the answer has been sitting there the whole time and nobody went and got it. Conclusion Abductive reasoning is how new ideas enter the world, and Holmes made a career of it under the wrong name. The more leaps you make and test, the sharper the next one gets.

When high-profile cases like Lindsay Clancy hit the news, public fear and sensationalism surrounding Postpartum Psychosis (PPP) spike—making clinical clarity and lived experience more vital than ever. In this special re-released episode, we sit down with Aaisha Alvi, author of "A Mom Like That: A Memoir of Postpartum Psychosis." Aaisha is a two-time PPP survivor who navigated severe hallucinations, delusions, and several medical dismissals before finally receiving life-saving psychiatric treatment.Community birth workers, midwives, and doulas are often the primary line of defense in the first 14 days postpartum. In this conversation, we break down:* The clinical differences between Postpartum Depression (1 in 5) and Postpartum Psychosis (1-2 per 1,000).* What hallucinations and delusions actually look and feel like from the inside.* Why calling PPP "rare" leads to dangerous medical dismissals in emergency rooms and clinics.* Exact red flags, key phrases, and emergency protocols birth workers must use when advocating for a client in crisis.CONTENT WARNING: This conversation includes discussion of severe perinatal mental health crises, intrusive thoughts, and psychiatric emergencies. RESOURCES & LINKS:• Learn more about Aaisha Alvi & grab her memoir: https://www.aaishaalvi.com• Follow Aaisha on Instagram: @AaishaAlviWrites• Postpartum Support International (PSI): Call or text 1-800-944-4773 | https://www.postpartum.net• National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988• Explore Midwifery Wisdom courses & resources: https://www.midwiferywisdom.com

Are you sick of men in power not understanding how female bodies work but still having the audacity to make laws about them? SAME. But in one alleged biblical incidient, that ignorance not only benefited women but saved lives. In ancient Egypt, Shiphra and Puah, a mother-daughter-midwife team, were asked to do the unthinkable- kill all of the male Hebrew babies. That request didn't pass the vibe check (with God) and they used the Pharaoh's ignorance to save lives. Even though their story has limited historical evidence, the same elements that influenced Shiphrah and Puah's lives are still impacting women today. Drink for wolves and weaponise male ignorance, because we're wining about herstory! Join the Funerary Cult: https://www.patreon.com/winingaboutherstory Sponsor a Glass of Wine: https://buymeacoffee.com/wahpod Get Merch: https://wining-about-herstory.myspreadshop.com/   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Althea Hrdlichka opened a birth center in Colorado in 2020 — a state where CPMs were not legally allowed to practice in birth centers. She then changed the law. She opened a second location in 2026. She has attended over 1,000 births and she's far from done.In this episode Augustine sits down with Althea for one of the most unfiltered conversations this podcast has had about what it actually takes to build midwifery infrastructure in a hostile system — the legislation, the license battles, the EMS protocols that she believes are being used deliberately against out-of-hospital providers, the rivals who tried to bring her down, and the moment she almost didn't keep going.And why she kept going anyway.In this episode:Four births that led her to midwifery — and the one that changed everythingOpening a birth center she couldn't legally practice in — and changing the lawA two-year license battle, $70,000 out of pocket, and what pulled her back from the edgeThe EMS "stay and stabilize" protocol and what it means for out-of-hospital birthWhy she pays herself zero and what her sustainability plan actually looks likeThe homegrown midwife model — and why it's the only one that worksWhat midwives eating each other is costing the profession• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MidwiferyWisdom • Birth Center Incubator: https://www.skool.com/birth-center-incubator-4343/about • Guest Contact: https://tendergiftsmidwiferyandbirthcenter.com/about-us/

Welcome to our Movember episode of Nursing Australia…. Yes that's right its August but this is our Mo-vember (as in the charity with the moustaches) episode.So why are we doing this now in August? Because Movember is not just one event that happens in November each year, its actually a year-round advocacy organisation that looks out for men's health - and as they put it: they stop men dying young.   First up, you'll hear from nurse Hayley Hodgson and her experiences dealing with men's health in the bush. Then, for a bit of fun, we've got some silly chats we did with the Mo staff on the ground at the Festival of Nursing last week, including their brick throwing contest. Then finally Dr Zach Seidler cuts a little more in-depth about some of the issues affecting boys and men. Thanks to everyone who attended the FON, Leith and I and the rest of the APNA team loved meeting you all. Keep your ears to the ground in the coming months for interviews and vox pops we did while there.Handy Links: Men in Mind MovemberClick here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanythingClick here to get in touch with Nursing Australia (send a text for free from anywhere in the world) #askusanything Hosted & Produced by: Matthew St Ledger & Leith Alexander  Produced by: Leith Alexander & Matthew St Ledger   

Corina was literally born into midwifery. She came into the world in an old school bus on The Farm — the legendary intentional community in Tennessee founded by Stephen Gaskin and Ina May Gaskin — and grew up surrounded by communal living, the absence of money, and birth as an ordinary, community experience. After years of practicing midwifery across six countries, raising three daughters as a single mother, navigating a nine-year mental health journey, and returning to The Farm as part of a new generation of midwives, she has arrived at something extraordinary: a framework for motherhood that she believes could change everything.This episode is for every midwife who has ever burned out, every mother who has lost herself, and everyone who believes birth work is about so much more than catching babies.In this episode we cover:Growing up on The Farm — communal living, kid herds, no money, and birth as a normal community eventLeaving The Farm at 10, landing in Hollywood Florida, and the culture shock of the "real world"Her first birth on her 21st birthday — and three months apprenticing with Ina May and the Farm midwives that summerGetting licensed in 1999, practicing in Florida, taking students to Honduras, and attending births across six countriesBecoming a mother as a midwife — and how her first postpartum experience shattered every expectation she hadA nine-year mental health journey including depression, anxiety, and eventually a bipolar diagnosis — and the shame of suffering in silence as "the one who knows"The vision for Motherfly — a new archetype for motherhood rooted in self-compassion, creativity, and community rather than martyrdom and supermom mythologyWhat matrescence is, why it matters, and why it should be a household wordReturning to The Farm in 2020 — driving through the Confederate-flag South with her Black daughters, the financial relief, and the racial reckoning of arriving in a predominantly white communityThe onboarding meeting that became a confrontation — and the "Midwives for Black Lives" sign that nobody would respond toHolding Ina May's legacy with nuance — the good, the harm, and the missed opportunityFounding Community Birth and Wellness with three other midwives — and the spontaneous passing of the torch at the Sanctuary SummitThe Motherfly nine-month group coaching container, the Matrescent Circle, and what's coming nextWhy our culture does a so-so job birthing babies and a terrible job birthing mothersResources & Links:

Bestselling author Chris Bohjalian has written 26 books, including mega-bestsellers Oprah's Book Club pick Midwives and The Flight Attendant, adapted into an Emmy-winning TV series — and yet he still worries that his next book won't be any good. Isn't it funny that even the greats of the field still worry?! But not to fear: Chris is no amateur and his latest book is thought-provoking, different, gripping, and memorable. When a bright young woman, about to head to Yale, swings a golf club at the range of her club, her life changes in an instant. The ball blasts through a hole in the netting and instantly kills a caddy, a classmate of hers. What follows is an examination of a neighborhood percolating with infidelity, blame, and gossip, a look at how easy it is to end up with the wrong people, and an attempt to right a life thrown off track. ** Want more? Become a part of my community! Sign up for Zibby's Highlights, which includes a free weekly newsletter, event livestreams, most anticipated book lists, personal essays, and a new essay platform with stories from all of you about what chapters you're in (inspired by my upcoming book Between Chapters: How I Started Over, Took Some Chances, and Found the Plot, 9/22/26). And follow me on Instagram @zibbyowens. But really, keep listening here. If you love my show, please tell a friend! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chanda Williams shares about her experiences working with midwives and her pregnancy journey.

Last month, two reports into maternity services in England were published. Donna Ockenden's review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Baroness Valerie Amos's investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England. These reports raised important issues about maternity services in England, but what impact have they had on the morale of those working in this area - particularly midwives? Nuala McGovern was joined by author and midwife Leah Hazard, Claire, a midwife practising in Wales, and Safia Saad, a student midwife and founder of Fund Future Midwives UK.Prenups are popular amongst the rich and famous, but research suggests that prenuptial agreements are on the rise for younger couples in the UK. Nuala spoke to Claer Barrett, Consumer Editor at the Financial Times, and Woman's Hour listener Bethan, who has a prenup with her husband, to discuss why more couples are drawing up legal contracts with their partners before they tie the knot.New analysis on mummies of Egyptian princesses shows they were warriors not just pampered queens with the signs pointing to them being highly skilled archers. They even carried wounds consistent with those made by daggers at close combat. It's an intriguing finding but perhaps an even bigger question is why discoveries like this still have the power to surprise us. We delve into how much of history is shaped not just by the evidence itself but by the assumptions we bring to it. Historian, broadcaster and author Bettany Hughes, whose new children's book explores the lives of people in Ancient Egypt, joined Kylie Pentelow along with Professor of History Olivette Otele.Presenter: Kylie Pentelow Producer: Annette Wells

This week, we're examining The Midwives Book and how a female midwife in 1600s England talked, wrote and understood periods, wombs and menopause. Was flatulence a sign of pregnancy? Do periods cause rabies? Can menstruating women kill bees? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode. _______________ Follow us on: Bluesky - @physiciansgallery Instagram - @physiciansgallery TikTok - @physiciansgallery Facebook - www.facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery Sign up for our newsletter - https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/newsletter To support heritage at the RCPE, please donate: www.rcpe.ac.uk/donate _______________ The Team: Dr Charlotte Holmes (@_CCHolmes_) - Editor/Producer Rachel Forrest - Researcher/Presenter Dr Daisy Cunynghame - Researcher/Presenter Dr Sarah Hayward - Editor/Producer Elizabeth Van Trampe - Editor/Producer

This week, we're examining The Midwives Book and how a female midwife in 1600s England talked, wrote and understood periods, wombs and menopause. Was flatulence a sign of pregnancy? Do periods cause rabies? Can menstruating women kill bees? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this week's episode. _______________ Follow us on: Bluesky - @physiciansgallery Instagram - @physiciansgallery TikTok - @physiciansgallery Facebook - www.facebook.com/PhysiciansGallery Sign up for our newsletter - https://www.rcpe.ac.uk/newsletter To support heritage at the RCPE, please donate: www.rcpe.ac.uk/donate _______________ The Team: Dr Charlotte Holmes (@_CCHolmes_) - Editor/Producer Rachel Forrest - Researcher/Presenter Dr Daisy Cunynghame - Researcher/Presenter Dr Sarah Hayward - Editor/Producer Elizabeth Van Trampe - Editor/Producer

Sarah revisits an interview with solicitor Ciaran Moynagh from Phoenix Law in Belfast.  Ciaran talks about how he became a lawyer specialising in human rights, equality, family law and specialist criminal defence.  Listeners might be familiar with some of Ciaran's high-profile cases including Lee v Asher's Bakery Company (the ‘gay cake' case) as well as his work around advancing same sex marriage and transgender rights in Northern Ireland.  Ciaran Moynagh is an experienced Solicitor Advocate with a diverse caseload that points to his passion for human rights & equality, family & matrimonial law and specialist criminal defence.  Ciaran is a multi-award-winning solicitor with a reputation for both challenging public bodies and the decisions they make, and also representing the interests of his clients in family courts and criminal trials. Ciaran acted in the same sex marriage legal challenge known as Petition X and also advised on the legislation ultimately used to introduce same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland. As part of the Love Equality Consortium he was instrumental in the campaign for equal marriage including talks with NI's political leaders.  He represented the couple, Laura Lacole and Eunan O'Kane in the legal challenge which secured the right for couples in Northern Ireland to register humanist marriages. Other successful judicial reviews resulted in greater protection of the privacy of transgender people in the UK and access to fertility treatment for same sex couples. Ciaran also acts for a number of charities mainly around potential interventions into legal challenges. He was instructed by the AIRE Centre in an immigration case before the European Court of Justice as well as for the Royal College of Midwives in JR 76 which challenged the prosecution of a mother for purchasing abortion pills online. More recently he has advised and assisted with an application by Mr Lee to the European Court of Human Rights in the internationally debated matter of Lee -v- Asher's Bakery, the so-called “gay cake” case. Ciaran also has a passion for family and matrimonial law and regularly appears before Family Courts at all tiers. He is the Northern Ireland representative of the UK & Ireland LGBT Family Law Institute as well as a member of the Northern Ireland Children Order Panel.  In 2021 he was made a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers as well as being added to the solicitor panel for the Northern Ireland Guardian Ad Litem Agency. In his family work, Ciaran deals with private law contact / residence disputes that include complex issues such as emotional abuse commonly called parent alienation. He also regularly deals with public law family matters that have social services involved due to allegations of abuse, neglect or non-accidental injury. Ciaran has specialist knowledge and expertise on same sex family's creation and representation. Ciaran is one of the few lawyers in NI giving expert advice on both domestic and international surrogacy arrangements. In a criminal context, Ciaran has been a long-standing member of the Belfast duty solicitor scheme. He has particular expertise in cases involving online legal issues, for example, social media harassment, revenge porn and so-called ‘paedophile hunters' stings. Ciaran retains a criminal defence caseload exclusively dealing with complex fraud, terrorism and sexual offences providing robust representation right from police station right through to the Crown Court.

In this episode Sam shares the story of her son Max's birth. She began her conception journey with very little trust in her body, but her confidence grew rapidly once she fell pregnant and, aside from an ECV to turn her breech baby, she went on to have a very straightforward pregnancy. As Sam learned more about birth she transferred to the homebirth team to give herself the best chance of achieving the spontaneous physiological birth she hoped for. When her labour began, it quickly became far more intense than she had anticipated and she made the decision to transfer into hospital for anti-sickness medication. Sam reflects on what an incredible advocate and cheerleader her partner was, the fantastic support she received from her homebirth midwives and the elements that made her birth feel so positive despite the change in location. This is such a lovely conversation about learning to trust your body, adapting when birth takes an unexpected turn and recognising that a positive birth isn't defined by where it happens.   Sam's IG:  https://www.instagram.com/scroge  The Birth Prep Bundle: https://sincere-union-68693.myflodesk.com/zkj6c4q686  My website: www.serenalouth.com My IG: https://www.instagram.com/serenalouth/

In this episode, Augustine sits down with Dr. Koen Deurloo, a Dutch gynecologist at the Diakonessenhuis in Utrecht and the first physician in the Netherlands to perform a maternal-assisted cesarean (MAC) — a technique that lets the birthing parent help lift their own baby from the incision during a planned cesarean. What began as a single patient's request in 2018 has grown into a practice Dr. Deurloo has now performed more than 200 times, and one he freely shares with hospitals around the world.This conversation goes far beyond the surgical technique. Dr. Deurloo talks candidly about the home births of his own two daughters and how that experience shaped his respect for the midwifery model of care, learning to ask "why" instead of overriding a patient's choice, and building one of the most collaborative OB-midwife relationships in the Netherlands — a country where roughly 90% of pregnancies start with midwifery-led care. He shares research on women who request care outside standard guidelines, why the "dead baby card" says more about a provider's own trauma than about safety, and how he trains residents, midwives, and doulas to work from a shared goal instead of competing silos.Dr. Deurloo is also the author of Door de ogen van een gynaecoloog ("Through the Eyes of a Gynecologist"), a collection of 35 stories from his clinical life.Whether you're a physician, midwife, doula, or student, this episode offers a rare, first-hand look at what it looks like when a high-risk hospital system chooses trust and autonomy over rigid protocol — and how that shift actually happened, person by person.In this episode we cover:The story behind the first maternal-assisted cesarean in the Netherlands and how the procedure has evolved since 2018What selection criteria Dr. Deurloo uses for MAC, and why he doesn't offer it routinely to every patientHow the Dutch maternity system integrates first- and second-degree midwives with hospital-based obstetric careDr. Deurloo's research on women who request birth outside clinical guidelines — and what happened to their outcomesReframing the "dead baby card" as a signal of provider trauma, not patient riskHow to build trust between physicians, midwives, and doulas without changing the actual clinical carePractical advice for starting pilot programs and finding your "pioneers" when introducing new practices into a hospital systemResources & Links:

A teen golf prodigy launches a powerful drive that kills a golf caddy at a tony New York country club. Investigations and hidden scandals soon follow.So begins best-selling Vermont author Chris Bohjalian's spellbinding new book, “The Amateur.” His 26th novel is classic Bohjalian: a riveting tale told by a female protagonist that weaves together mystery, intrigue, romance, betrayal and secrets that had me frantically turning the page to find out what happens next.Bohjalian is among Vermont's most beloved and prolific authors of literary and historical fiction. His work has been translated into more than 35 languages, and three of his novels — “Secrets of Eden,” “Midwives” and “Past the Bleachers” — have been made into movies. “The Flight Attendant” is an Emmy-nominated series on HBO Max. He has also written three plays. The New York Times Book Review named “The Amateur” one of “The Novels Everyone Will Be Talking About in 2026.”Bohjalian often writes from the perspective of a female protagonist. “I do it because I think a woman is more likely than a man to go on the emotional odyssey that the tale demands,” he told me. He said he considers it high praise when a reader tells him, “I thought you were a woman.”Bohjalian, who lives in Weybridge, has won numerous literary awards. He wrote the “Idyll Banter” column for the Burlington Free Press for nearly 25 years, has written for The New York Times and The Washington Post, and writes periodic essays on his Substack. He is a graduate of Amherst College.Bohjalian has also been recognized for his efforts to educate Americans about the Armenian genocide. He has family who survived the genocide, which was launched in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and resulted in the deaths of as many as 1.2 million Armenians. He has written regularly on the topic, including his 2012 book, “The Sandcastle Girls,” which is a love story with the genocide as its backdrop. He is keenly aware that history often repeats itself.“Genocide begins with language, by demonizing the minority, by reducing them to something less than human, something like an insect, a vermin, a parasite, a germ,” he told me. “Just as the Ottoman Empire used that language about the Armenians, or the Nazis used that sort of language about the Jewish citizens of Europe, increasingly in the United States we see immigrants or people from other countries demonized in much the same way.”He cited the example of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance “demonizing Ohio Haitian citizens, claiming that they were so animalistic they ate dogs and cats.”“I vacillate wildly between whether I believe that democracy in America is really in jeopardy or simply believing that we are in a cycle right now where there is a stupidity, a cruelty and a savagery that is cyclical, and eventually we will swing back,” he said.Bohjalian kicks off a national book tour for “The Amateur” with an event at the South Burlington Public Library on Saturday. He has another novel due out in 2028 and is at work on a play.His advice to aspiring writers?“Write because you love it. Write in the genre you love to read. Write every day.”

Academy Award-winning actor Helen Hunt is currently performing in the RSC's production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov. She joins Nuala McGovern to discuss what it's like being back on a UK stage in her latest role as Russian aristocrat and matriarch Madame Ranevskaya.A rape trial has collapsed after the alleged victim used AI to help prepare for her answers in court. The case at Lewes Crown Court was called off after the complainant, referred to only as C, admitted using an AI chatbot. The barrister acting for the accused, argued that a fair trial was impossible. The Court of Appeal ruled that such practices amount to 'witness coaching' which is prohibited in the UK. Barrister Harriet Johnson, specialising in violence against women and girls, discusses the significance of the case. Last month, two reports into maternity services in England were published. Donna Ockenden's review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and Baroness Valerie Amos's investigation into maternity and neonatal services in England. These reports raised important issues about maternity services in England but what impact have they had on the morale of those working in this area - particularly midwives? Nuala is joined by author and midwife Leah Hazard, Claire Ashton, a midwife practising in Wales, and Safia Saad, a student midwife and founder of Fund Future Midwives UK.Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called for Prime Minister Andy Burnham to bring in emergency legislation to stop the early release of hundreds of prisoners. She held a press conference while we were on air, along with rape survivors who are concerned their perpetrators could be let out early. The BBC's home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani joins Nuala.Labour MP Samantha Niblett wants sex education to continue throughout our lives, not just at school. She discusses her campaign and the controversy over displaying sex toys in Parliament.Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Dr. Melanie Jackson, also known as Melanie the Midwife, shares her journey from naturopathy to midwifery, her insights on physiological birth, the importance of regulation, and how women and midwives can collaborate to transform maternity care.Key Topics: Birth as a physiological processThe role of regulation in midwiferyDifferences between Australian and US maternity systemsThe importance of listening to women in birthThe spectrum of medicalization in birthBirth trauma and patient satisfactionThe significance of informed decision-makingThe impact of societal beliefs on birth practicesConnect with Melanie: Instagram @melaniethemidwife @thegreatbirthrebelion Facebook @melaniethemidwifeYouTube @melaniethemidwife6258Website www.melaniethemidwife.comConnect with Sophia: website www.bornwildmidwifery.comInstagram @bornwildpodcast or @bornwildmidwifery Some of our favorite products: ▶︎Afterease Tincture by Wish Garden Herbs: https://tidd.ly/4uQ0NGv▶︎Sitz Bath Herbs by Motherlove Organics: https://www.motherlove.com/?sca_ref=10865436.IGh1FTI5Qs▶︎HIRO diapers: https://hirodiapers.com/bornwild3▶︎Mioberry Organic Muslin Swaddle sets & more: www.miaoerrydesigns.com/bornwild Save 15% with code: Bornwild15Born Wild disclaimerThis podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice.We are not providing medical or legal guidance, nor are we encouraging listeners to engage in any practice that may be unsafe or unlawful in their jurisdiction. Birth choices, medical care decisions, and midwifery practices are highly regulated and vary by state and country.Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified, licensed professionals and to research the laws applicable to their location before making any health or birth-related decisions.By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own decisions and actions.The show notes may contain affiliate links. IF you click and purchase product or service I might be compensated. Thank you for your support. 

Join the co-chairs of the Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Task Force as they discuss the urgent need to improve neonatal outcomes nationwide. These key leaders from AWHONN and NANN will highlight their data-driven, evidence-based, and equity-centered recommendations as a call-to-action for greater collaboration. Meet our guests: Jill Beck, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC, C-NNIC, C-ELBW Read More Jill Beck is a neonatal nurse practitioner and podcast creator who believes the best neonatal care happens when clinicians, researchers, and families learn together. She serves as Creative Director and host of NANNcast, the official podcast of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses, a widely recognized platform highlighting innovation, research, and real-world experiences in neonatal care. Jill collaborates internationally through the International Neonatal Consortium to advance neonatal research education and promote nurse involvement in drug development. Her work centers on empowering nurses to engage in research, quality improvement, and evidence-based practice to improve outcomes for the most vulnerable patients. Cheryl Bellamy, DNP, APRN, CNM, CNS-C, C-EFM, FAWHONN  Read More Dr. Cheryl Bellamy is a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist at Henry Ford Hospital, in Detroit, Michigan, bringing nearly three decades of clinical expertise in labor and delivery, postpartum care, high-risk antepartum, normal newborn care, and women's health. She's a recognized leader in advancing maternal and newborn care through high-impact education and advocacy on a national and global scale. Dr. Bellamy's clinical work focuses on comprehensive care for diverse populations, including multidisciplinary care planning for high-risk pregnancies, maternal-infant education, addressing health disparities, and research on respectful care and labor support. She's a deeply active member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN), where she served as the 2024 National President, and is currently co-chair of the National Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Taskforce. Cheryl enjoys spending time with her beloved family and friends, learning about different cultures, dancing, live music, giving back to her community, and traveling. Taryn M. Edwards, MSN, APRN, NNP-BC Read More Taryn Edwards is the current President of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. She has more than 22 years of neonatal nursing experience and currently works as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. She has served in numerous leadership roles at both the local and national levels within NANN. Her professional interests include caring for the surgical neonate, promoting human milk and breastfeeding, improving quality of care, and understanding the environmental impacts on maternal and child health. Episode Resources NANN - AWHONN Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality Task Force Update  NANN's Podcast - NANNcast  AWHONN on Capitol Hill  Legislation referred to in episode:  HR 3942/S 2059: Keeping Obstetrics Local Act  HR 3593/S 1874: Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act  HR 1197/S 1562: PREEMIE Reauthorization Act  HR 6394/S 1599: Midwives for MOMS Act of 2025  HR 2493 - Improving Care in Rural America Reauthorization Act of 2025  HR 4709 - Newborn Screening Saves Lives Reauthorization Act of 2025  AWHONN Neonatal and Newborn Care Resources  The post From Data to Action: Collaborating to Address Neonatal Morbidity and Mortality appeared first on AWHONN.

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 26 books ranging from literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies and an Emmy-winning TV series. He is a playwright and has two other novels in development for TV series as well. His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, and more. His novel, MIDWIVES was a selection of Oprah's Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Cosmopolitan among others. Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University. He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer. Learn more at chrisbohjalian.com Intro reel, Writing Table Podcast 2024 Outro RecordingFollow the Writing Table: @writingtablepodcastEmail questions or tell us who you'd like us to invite to the Writing Table: writingtablepodcast@gmail.com.

In this episode, Augustine shares a real one-on-one consult from the very first Midwifery Wisdom Fellowship cohort — a conversation with Emmelia.Emmelia is navigating a question many apprentice and student midwives face: what does a sustainable path in this work actually look like? She's processing betrayal by a preceptor who left her stranded without signed-off skills, wrestling with whether solo practice or a birth center model fits her life, and trying to figure out if she can be both a hands-on provider and a business owner without losing herself — or her family — in the process.Augustine and Emmelia talk through the Dunning-Kruger effect and why that crash in confidence after early competence is actually a sign of real growth. They talk about processing trauma from an unsupportive preceptor relationship, the difference between scarcity and abundance mindset in a competitive field, and why so many birth centers close within a few years while others last for decades. It's an honest look at the tension between calling and capacity — and a reminder that building something sustainable is its own form of midwifery.Emmelia generously gave us permission to share this consult, believing other students and apprentices working through similar struggles might find something useful in it.To learn more about the next cohort of the Midwifery Wisdom Fellowship starting September 1, 2026, visit our website https://www.midwiferywisdomcollective.com/midwifery-wisdom-fellowship-2

In this episode, Augustine sits down with Rafia Islam, a midwife from Bangladesh with eight years of experience spanning refugee camps, mentorship roles, and one of Dhaka's busiest labor wards. Rafia walks us through her training, her path from data collector to midwife, and what a 12-hour night shift with 13 deliveries actually looks like.The conversation turns to the realities shaping birth in Bangladesh: a cesarean rate as high as 80% in some private hospitals, the financial incentives driving unnecessary surgery, and the coercion many families face in the delivery room. Rafia also shares why midwives are legally barred from home birth in Bangladesh, how the country's neonatal mortality rate has dropped dramatically since 2000, and a harrowing memory of delivering a baby during a hospital fire.This is a candid look at what it means to fight for autonomous, respected midwifery care in a system still learning what a midwife is for — and a reminder that no matter where you practice, the work of holding space for birth looks remarkably the same.

You've sat through an antenatal appointment focused on blood pressure and bump measurements, wishing there'd been room to talk about how you were actually feeling. Midwives want that room too, working inside appointments measured in minutes. There's real momentum building to bring emotional wellbeing further into that time together.Two researchers went looking at exactly what that momentum looks like in practice, and how to act on it without asking midwives to find time they don't have.In this episode of The Science of Motherhood, Dr Renee White sits down with Lesley Pascuzzi, childbirth educator and perinatal mental health researcher, and her colleague Nicole Freeman, midwife and PhD researcher in early pregnancy care, to unpack what midwives told them about supporting mental health during pregnancy. Together they explore where the system falls short, and the pilot program already testing a different way forward.You'll Hear About:Why the current model centres illness over wellnessWhat midwives believe a well woman looks likeHow time pressure shapes mental health conversationsWhy continuity of care changes everythingWhat the new pilot program is testingKnowledge is the foundation of advocating for your own mental health, in pregnancy and beyond. The more you understand about your options, the more equipped you are to ask for exactly what you need.If you've ever left an appointment feeling rushed or unheard, send this to a friend who's navigating pregnancy right now. And subscribe so you don't miss an episode of The Science of Motherhood.Resources & Links

This episode gives a snapshot of the main global challenges that face women in their childbearing years and the midwives that care for them. In this episode, Mel covers what she learned from the International Confederation of Midwives conference in Portugal June 2026. The main global challenges include, the over-medicalisation of childbirth, a shortage of skilled midwives and the erosion of midwifery skill to identify and facilitate physiological birth. In this episode, Mel shares both the problems and the solutions that are already being acted upon and what you can do to combat the challenges described in this episode If you want to re-skill or upskill in physiological birth and be part of the solution with Mel by your side throughout your midwifery career, join the wait list here, to be one of the 200 midwives Mel is offering to nurture.  This episode is generously sponsored by Poppy Child from @popthatmumma. Poppy is offering Great Birth Rebellion listeners 25% off the Birth Box. Use the code Melanie at the checkout to claim your discount. Just go to https://hypnobirthing-positive-birth.com/birthbox You can watch this episode on YouTube here  Get more from the Great Birth Rebellion PodcastJoin the podcast mailing list to access the resource folder from each episode at www.melaniethemidwife.comJoin the rebellion and show your support! Grab your Great Birth Rebellion merchandise now at www.thegreatbirthrebellion.comFollow us on social media @thegreatbirthrebellion and @melaniethemidwifeIf this podcast has improved your knowledge or pregnancy, birth or postpartum journey please consider thanking us financially by leaving a tip to support the ongoing work of this podcast. DisclaimerThe information and resources provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute or replace medical or midwifery advice. Instead, all information provided is intended for education, with it's application intended for discussion between yourself and your care provider and/or workplace if you are a health professional.The Great Birth Rebellion podcast reserves the right to supplement, edit, change, delete any information at any time. Whilst we have tried to maintain accuracy and completeness of information, we do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or currency of the information. The podcast accepts no liability for any loss, damage or unfavourable outcomes howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.This podcast is not a replacement for midwifery or medical clinical care.All transcripts are generated by ai and may contain errors

In this episode, Brooke and Lauren tackle the dilemma of needing (or feeling the tug!) to switch to a new midwife. They discuss...What to do if you feel the inkling that you need to change midwivesHow to discern what your next right step is when you are out of alignment with your midwife Questions to ask yourself about your relationship with your current (& prospective) midwife Making a decision with the Holy Spirit vs just your own desire/idols/traumaWhat might be behind your desire to do away with your midwife (hint: your own interior growth!)Mentioned in this episode:The Aligned Birth Team episode of HWBConnect:Email us to say hi: hello@hearthmotherministries.comPut in a request for future topics and/or submit a question for future Q&A episodes: Fill out the formApply to tell your birth story on the podcast: Holy Wild Birth Podcast : Guest ApplicationHang out with us and other Holy Wild Women in our private community (off Facebook): Rooted in Eden PMABecome a holy, wild birthkeeper with us inside Hearthmother JourneyFrom Lauren:InstagramMidwifery consults: Email  rootedinedenpma@gmail.comFrom Brooke:InstagramTrust God, Trust Birth Workshop - a 5-part high-level roadmap to a confident home birth (pay what you can)Faith-Filled Home Birth Workshop - a free, 3-part video series delivered to your inboxEmbrace Birth Journey - comprehensive and holistic faith-based home birth preparation (courses + private community)Sister Birth: The Podcast - short, beautifully scripted episode to encourage your along the wayIntro and Outra Music Credit -Betty Dear By Blue Dot Sessions is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

In this beautiful and powerful episode, host Augustine sits down with Eva Rose — Norwegian birth photographer, doula, advocate, documentarian, and creator of Birth Mood — for a conversation that spans birth rooms, operating theatres, Ethiopian hospitals, and the fragile future of midwifery-led care across the globe.Eva has been attending births for nearly 30 years, building one of the most extraordinary visual archives of physiological birth in the world — and along the way becoming an unstoppable voice for women's birth rights and informed consent.In this episode we cover:How witnessing her baby sister's home birth at age seven — and growing up in a family of photographers — set Eva on her pathHow a midwife told Eva "you are a doula" — and what happened nextThe closure of ABC, Norway's most beloved midwifery-led unit, and how Norway went from 70 such units to just fourWhy Norwegian hospitals profit from over-medicalizing birth even within a free public healthcare systemThe fetal scalp electrode post that went viral globally — and why Norwegian midwives were furiousHow Eva's role as a doula shifted from loving birth companion to consent advocateThe mother-assisted cesarean in the Netherlands — and Eva's mission to bring it to NorwayBirth culture across countries — the stark difference between consent practices in Norway, the UK, and SwitzerlandBirth Around the World — selling everything to document birth globally before COVID shut it downFundal pressure in Ethiopia and Eva's campaign to make it illegal worldwideBurnout, her lowest two years, and what slowing down has taught herBirth Mood — the visual birth preparation course now used by birthing women, midwives, and doctors worldwideResources & Links:

Petula Martyn, our Mid West Correspondent.

Listen to the Top News of 30/06/2026 from Australia in Hindi.

In episode 246, Peter speaks to Richard Hames who returns to FuturePod to discuss his new book, Teaching Silicon How to Feel.

Gestational diabetes is one of those topics that every pregnant mama needs to understand way before she ever gets to that 28 week test, whether she thinks it applies to her or not. And I could not be more excited about who I brought in to talk about it today.Bonnie and Karina are midwives in Davis County Utah and two of my favorite people in the birth world. I met them early in my birth work journey and I have never stopped being grateful for it. Bonnie has a background in nutrition and has been in birth work since 2014. Karina has had type one diabetes for over 35 years and lives this every single day. Between the two of them, they know more about gestational diabetes than most providers you will ever sit across from. I have actually told Bonnie that if I ever get pregnant again, I am either flying her out to me or heading to Utah, because these are the women I want in my corner.

Maternity care and its shortcomings will be in the spotlight over the next fortnight, as the biggest maternity inquiry in the history of NHS England prepares to report its findings. The independent review by former midwife, Donna Ockenden, has looked into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. Meanwhile new figures from the Royal College of Midwives show that more than nine out of 10 of those polled felt unsafe staffing levels are directly impacting the quality of care they provide for women and babies. Next week we'll also hear the recommendations of a national review by Baroness Amos. BBC's social affairs correspondent, Michael Buchanan, talks to presenter Nuala McGovern about what we know so far. Joanna Cherry was elected as an MP in 2015, part of the SNP landslide when they took 56 out of 59 Scottish seats, just a year after the referendum on Scottish independence resulted in a No vote. Her memoir, Keeping the Dream Alive, captures the disappointment and euphoria of that time. Joanna went on to lose her seat in 2024 and has become a vocal critic of the party, and of Nicola Sturgeon's leadership. She was also well-known for expressing gender-critical views and concerns at a time when the SNP was trying to deliver a gender self-ID law in Scotland. She joins presenter Nuala McGovern to talk about that "tumultuous decade" in Scottish politics.A new study from the Universities of Exeter and Bristol is looking into how heavy periods impact daily life. Led by Gemma Sharp, a Professor of Epidemiology at Exeter, researchers will collect real-time data from thousands of participants to help us understand the relationship between periods - particularly heavy periods - and our energy levels, sleep and mood. Did you know that mini golf has feminist roots? A playful and ‘playable' exhibition, The Art of Mini Golf, has just opened at the Battersea Arts Centre in London, channelling the inclusive, subversive spirit of the game's female founders. Nuala's joined by curator Grace Herbert and one of the featured artists, Delaine Le Bas, to hear more about mini golf's hidden history and the art it's inspired.Presented by: Nuala McGovern Produced by: Sarah Jane Griffiths

Moses' ministry began not with him but with a gathering of faithful saints.  Midwives, parents, and sister – all powerless slaves in Egypt's eyes – laid well his foundation of faith.  And they showed that, with God, no one is every really powerless.

Our third baby, Maggie, arrived sooner than we expected… and before the midwives made it.In this episode, we share the short version of Maggie's birth story, how labor unfolded unexpectedly, what it was like welcoming her at home, and why going through birth together deepened our marriage.This was our third home birth by God's grace and one we'll never forget.Tell us in the comments:What was the most unexpected part of your birth story?Subscribe for more conversations on marriage, family, faith, parenting, and life together.

The Hebrew midwives embody the best of what we celebrate at Pride: creative resistance, campy mockery, loving courage, and defiant hope to operate in the in-between space and bring forth life in the face of death. Pride is an occasion for us both to remember how far we have come and to strengthen ourselves for the work we have ahead, with joy and celebration and a love that will never let us go.

What actually happens during a home birth?In part two of this Home Birth 101 conversation, Dr. Morgan walks through what makes home birth safe, the role of midwives, what labor looks like at home, when transfers happen, newborn care, cost considerations, and how to prepare physically and mentally.If you've ever wondered what home birth looks like behind the scenes, or what happens if things don't go according to plan, this episode gives you the practical breakdown.00:00 Trailer + Introduction01:26 What Makes Home Birth Safe?06:36 Different Types of Midwives Explained11:56 Why Candidate Selection Matters15:11 What Actually Happens During a Home Birth20:56 Common Reasons for Hospital Transfer26:11 Emergency vs Non-Emergency Transfers29:06 Newborn Care After Home Birth33:46 Finding the Right Midwife39:36 Home Birth Cost & Insurance45:41 Birth Prep & Classes51:56 Managing Labor Pain at Home57:46 Common Home Birth Fears1:01:36 Final Thoughts: Is Home Birth Right for You?Resources From This Episode:Birthing from Within bookBradley MethodHypnobirthing40 Blinks EyemaskNew Earth Mama Spotify PlaylistOther Related Episodes:Birth Plan EpisodeBirth Episode PlaylistHealthy As A Mother Podcast | YouTubeHealthy As A Mother Podcast | InstagramHealthy As A Mother Podcast | TikTokHealthy As A Mother Podcast | Merch StoreFind more from Dr. Leah:Dr. Leah Gordon | InstagramDr. Leah Gordon | WebsiteWomanhood Wellness | WebsiteFind more from Dr. Morgan:Dr. Morgan MacDermott | InstagramDr. Morgan MacDermott | WebsiteUse code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 10% at EarthleyUse code HEALTHYMOTHER and save 15% at RedmondFor 20% off your first order at Needed, use code HEALTHYMOTHERSave $260 at Lumebox, use code HEALTHYASAMOTHERUse code HAAM and save 10% at Fond

Dr. Carole Keim takes listeners through one of the earliest and most important decisions in pregnancy: choosing the right support team. In this solo episode, she explains the differences between obstetricians, certified nurse midwives, and doulas, helping parents understand the unique role each plays during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery. Dr. Keim also walks through the typical timeline of prenatal visits, ultrasounds, testing, and vaccines, giving expectant parents a practical overview of what to expect from the first positive pregnancy test through delivery. With her warm and reassuring approach, Dr. Keim also explores what labor and birth are really like beyond what's often portrayed in movies. She discusses birth plans, labor support, cervical checks, fetal monitoring, inductions, C-sections, and postpartum healing, while emphasizing that every pregnancy and birth experience is different. Parents will come away with a clearer understanding of how to build a supportive birth team and how to prepare emotionally and physically for welcoming a new baby.  Key Moments 00:00 Introduction to OBs, midwives, and doulas 02:17 Pregnancy tests and scheduling the first prenatal appointment 03:35 The 8–12 week visit, ultrasounds, and viability checks 05:35 The 20-week anatomy scan and fetal development 07:53 Glucose tolerance testing and gestational diabetes screening 10:16 Vaccines during pregnancy: Tdap, flu, COVID, and RSV 12:29 Breech babies, turning procedures, and planned C-sections 14:58 Routine late pregnancy visits and induction discussions 16:15 Certified nurse midwives vs obstetricians 20:07 What doulas do during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum 24:23 Birth plans, labor positions, and creating a calming environment 27:13 Labor monitoring, cervical checks, and delivery interventions 31:59 Postpartum healing, recovery, and spacing pregnancies 35:23 Final thoughts and additional resources for parents __ How to choose an OB or midwife  OBs, family doctors, and midwives can deliver babies Group practices are pretty standard nowadays; meet your main doctor/midwife but also meet the team who might be delivering (either other people in the office or a laborist) Personality fit is a big deal Obstetricians and family doctors are medical doctors.  Their training involves 4 years of undergrad, 4 years of medical school, and 4 years of residency (12 years total). There are two types of midwives: lay midwives and CNMs. Lay midwives are those who have experience delivering low-risk babies out of the hospital, typically at home.  They have no certification or licensure requirements, and no formal medical training.  Home births with a lay midwife are by far the most dangerous and I have seen some bad outcomes and cannot ethically support them.  When I speak about midwives during this episode, I am not including lay midwives. CNMs are required to have a bachelor's degree in nursing (4 years of undergrad), then 2 years of graduate-level nurse midwife training (6 years total). The main differences are the knowledge base and the approach to care. Doctors Nurses OBs, family doctors, and midwives can see you during your pregnancy and can deliver babies vaginally. Only OBs can perform c sections and take care of high-risk pregnancies (moms under 18yrs or over 35 years, those with health conditions, those with prior c-section, twins/triplets Birth location OBs deliver in hospitals because it is the safest setting Midwives can deliver at hospitals, birth centers, and/or at home depending on the local regulations Timing of appointments   In the US, the number of weeks starts at the beginning of your last period, so when you miss a period and test you are 4 weeks pregnant Ovulation and fertilization happen at 2 weeks, so you aren't actually pregnant until then, but we are counting from LMP In the US, the due date is at 40 weeks In other countries they may count dates starting at conception/ovulation, so the due date is at 38 weeks Initial appt: 6-8 weeks or whenever you find out you're pregnant, whichever is later First trimester (until 12 weeks and 6 days): you'll be seen 2-3x; initial confirmation appt, 6-8 weeks for dating, 10-12 weeks for NIPT. Blood testing and urine testing for STIs, drugs, ultrasound for dates, hear heartbeat, NIPT (check out the genetics episode 503) Second trimester (13 0/7 to 27 6/7): appts about every other week, anatomy scan, testing for gestational diabetes, further genetic testing and/or ultrasounds if indicated. Third trimester (28-40 weeks): appointments every 2 weeks, then weekly starting at 38 weeks.  Check urine for protein (a sign of pre eclampsia) at each visit.  GBS screen.  RPR on admission to hospital. Postpartum: 2 weeks and 6 weeks High-risk pregnancies will be seen more often.  A pregnancy can become high risk at any time. Doula What they can do: emotional support, physical comfort during labor and delivery. What they can't do: anything medical, including deliver babies. Reasons you might want one: to keep you as comfortable as possible during labor; they can get you food/water/ice chips, rub your feet or neck if you want, call the nurse for you, crowd control, can articulate your preferences while you're in labor, possibly also attending to partner during delivery Reasons you might not want one: expense, privacy, not needed if you have a support person Birthing options / Birth plans Birth plans How you want your birth experience to be Birth is a very tenuous process and doesn't always go according to plan.  A birth plan is a nice outline of preferences, if you have any. If you are planning a vaginal delivery, keep in mind that your birth team has the main objective of having a healthy mom and baby.  If your provider says that something needs to change during labor or delivery, there is usually a medical safety reason for that change. Scheduled C-Sections Reasons you might be scheduled for a C-section: repeat, breech baby, twins/triplets, high risk for underlying medical conditions in you or the baby.  Scheduled C-sections typically have a shorter birth plan: music in the operating room one support person in there with you will the support person go with the baby or stay with mom when the C-section is over? Even if you're scheduled for a C-section, you might go into labor early and need an urgent or emergent C-section before the scheduled date. Scheduled inductions  Reasons you might be scheduled: post dates, pre eclampsia, gestational diabetes, specific high-risk pregnancy reasons There are a few ways to induce labor, including medication taken by mouth or placed in the vagina to help open the cervix, IV medication called pitocin which causes your uterus to contract, and placing something such as a stick that absorbs fluid and expands or a balloon that is placed by your provider in the cervix to help it open Less to plan, but the same as for vaginal delivery. Mixed evidence as to whether scheduled inductions are more or less likely to end in C-section Vaginal delivery If you fully go into labor naturally, meaning you have contractions every 3-5 minutes lasting 1 minute each and your water breaks, you may need no intervention at all. Areas to plan: People who will be there Environment: music, smells, lighting, etc Comfort measures / pain relief - birth ball, shower, tub, squat bar, etc Words to use or to avoid Position for labor/delivery Mirror during delivery Plans for the placenta Newborn procedures: skin to skin, eye drops, vitamin K, Hep B, circumcision, timing of first bath, breast/bottle/both Who is allowed after baby is born and how they will be notified Check out The Baby Manual on Amazon.  It will give you peace of mind when your new baby arrives.   __  Resources discussed in this episode: The Holistic Mamas Handbook is available on Amazon The Baby Manual is also available on Amazon __ Contact Dr. Carole Keim MD Website: CaroleKeim.com Linktree TikTok Instagram   ---FullScriptUse this link to get 10% off and free shipping for orders over $50.HIRO DiapersUse code DRCAROLEKEIM for a discount at checkout. Click here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The HSE got confirmation on Friday that the Health Information and Quality Authority will register the new Killarney Community Nursing Unit from today. HSE South West hopes a phased transfer to the new unit will begin on July 13th, pending the outcome of a ballot by INMO. Jerry spoke to Kathryn Courtney of the Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation.

#487> To purchase the book: https://amzn.to/3S7rcR9> This episode of the podcast is sponsored by the Klomar app. A clear way to learn Chumash - Rashi. The text of each pasuk with Rashi menukad and a shiur by Rav Sholom Menachem Wohlgelernter explaining each word of Rashi. For more information and to download the app: https://www.klomar.org/> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/DZ3C2CjUeD9AGJvXeEODtK> To join the SeforimChatter WhatsApp status: https://wa.me/message/TI343XQHHMHPN1>  To support the podcast or to sponsor an episode follow this link: https://seforimchatter.com/support-seforimchatter/or email seforimchatter@gmail.com (Zelle/QP this email address)Support the show

This Sunday, we began a new summer series, "Deep Cuts," considering stories and characters that don't get much airplay.

This Sunday, we began a new summer series, "Deep Cuts," considering stories and characters that don't get much airplay.

Birth Rights, Medical Bills & Maternal Advocacy with Andi Orwoll, Esq In this powerful episode of MaternalRx, Dr. Danielle Plummer sits down with Nevada attorney and founder of Your Legal Doula, Andi Orwoll, to discuss the often-overlooked legal and financial realities families face during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. From navigating IVF paperwork and unexpected C-sections to battling insurance denials and understanding birth rights, Andi shares how her own journey into motherhood inspired her to create a legal advocacy practice specifically for pregnant and postpartum families. This conversation explores the intersection of maternal health, patient advocacy, legal protections, informed consent, workplace rights, and the emotional toll of navigating the U.S. healthcare system during one of life's most vulnerable seasons. In this episode, we discuss: - Why birth rights matter - The legal gaps in maternal healthcare - Insurance denials and surprise medical bills - IVF, fertility care, and the hidden administrative burden - Informed consent and patient advocacy during labor - The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) - The midwifery model of care vs. traditional obstetric care - Maternal mental load and postpartum vulnerability - Why tracking medical records, bills, and receipts matters - Navigating medical bills and insurance appeals Key Takeaways: “Policy never overrides your rights.” Andi explains how many patients are intimidated in medical settings and may not realize they have the legal right to informed consent, respectful care, and bodily autonomy during pregnancy and birth. Birth experiences matter. Even when outcomes are medically positive, the emotional and psychological experience of birth can have lasting effects. Advocacy, education, and support can profoundly shape those experiences. The paperwork burden is real. Pregnancy often comes with overwhelming administrative tasks: insurance appeals, billing disputes, maternity leave paperwork, provider reimbursements, and more — all during an emotionally and physically vulnerable time. Midwives, doulas, OBs, pharmacists, and lawyers all have a role. Maternal healthcare works best when it's collaborative. This episode highlights the importance of interdisciplinary support systems for pregnant families. Track everything. One of the biggest practical pearls from this episode: keep copies of: - Medical bills - Insurance explanations of benefits (EOBs) - Receipts - Appointment dates - Correspondence with insurance companies - Workplace accommodation requests Documentation can make all the difference if problems arise later. About the Guest: Andi Orwoll is a Nevada-licensed attorney and founder of Your Legal Doula, a legal advocacy practice focused on supporting families navigating pregnancy, birth, postpartum recovery, workplace accommodations, and healthcare systems in the United States. Inspired by her own experience with IVF, an unexpected hospital birth, and overwhelming postpartum paperwork, Andi created Your Legal Doula to help families understand their rights and confidently advocate for themselves during pregnancy and birth. * Follow Andi: - https://yourlegaldoula.com/ - Instagram @yourlegaldoula About the Host: Danielle Plummer is a pharmacist, antepartum doula, and founder of Obstet-Rx. Through education, advocacy, and pharmacogenetics, she helps women navigate hyperemesis gravidarum and manage medications through complex pregnancy-related conditions. * Follow Danielle: - www.HGPharmacist.com - linkedin.com/in/daniellerplummer Memorable Quotes “We are not playing. We are here to have the birth experience that we want.” “Policy never overrides your rights.” “The most important work you are doing during your perinatal season should not be paperwork.” “The way we are treated during birth matters.” Resources Mentioned https://yourlegaldoula.com/ https://hgpharmacist.com/ Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (EEOC): www.eeoc.gov/ Disclaimer: This podcast episode is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or medical advice. The opinions expressed are those of the speakers and do not reflect the views of their employers or affiliated organizations.

In this wide-ranging and utterly fascinating episode, host Augustine sits down with Vandana — doctor, public health expert, MBA, entrepreneur, beekeeper, candle maker, and one of the most multi-dimensional humans to ever grace this podcast. Born and raised in Bangalore, India, now based on Long Island, New York, Vandana has spent over two decades working across 13 countries in disaster zones, war zones, and underserved communities — always following the woman, always asking: what does she actually need to thrive?This conversation moves from the villages of rural India to the boardrooms of global philanthropy, from beehives in Brooklyn to the operating table, and from the burnout of nonprofit founderitis to the liberating power of learning to ask. There is so much in this episode for midwives, birth workers, nonprofit founders, and anyone who has ever built something from scratch and wondered why it won't grow.Resources & Links:

Community midwives are calling for an overhaul of the way they are contracted to work. 

Reality is stranger and more intelligent than the official story allows.In this episode of So You're Living in a Simulation, Jo explores God as reality itself, the body as an interface for consciousness, non-human intelligence, UFO disclosure, ancestral religion, possession, women healers, Goddess theology, simulation theory, parallel universes, political theater, and fiction as an archive of forbidden truth.From Waymo self-driving cars to Witches, Midwives, and Nurses, Fallen, remote viewing, spiritual parasites, Christianity, colonization, and the intelligence of the Earth, this episode asks what happens when the boundary between “woo,” conspiracy, religion, science fiction, and accepted reality begins to collapse.#SimulationTheory #Consciousness #NonHumanIntelligence

Sophia sits down with Rowan Bailey and Sarita Bennett of Foundational Concepts for Midwives for a conversation about traditional midwifery, mentorship, persecution, peer review, and preserving birth wisdom.Together they discuss:practicing midwifery in illegal statesaccountability within the birth communitytrauma and trust among birth workerscompetency-based educationnervous system safety in learningsupporting the future of traditional midwiferyA thoughtful conversation for birth workers, students, and anyone passionate about preserving physiological birth knowledge.Connect with Foundational Concepts Connect with Born Wild Midwifery Some of our FAV products: ▶︎Afterease Tincture by Wish Garden Herbs: ▶︎Sitz Bath Herbs by Motherlove Organics: ▶︎HIRO diapers: ▶︎Mioberry Organic Muslin Swaddle sets & more: Save 15% with code: Bornwild15Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The views and experiences shared by guests are their own and do not constitute medical, legal, or professional advice.We are not providing medical or legal guidance, nor are we encouraging listeners to engage in any practice that may be unsafe or unlawful in their jurisdiction. Birth choices, medical care decisions, and midwifery practices are highly regulated and vary by state and country.Listeners are encouraged to consult with qualified, licensed professionals and to research the laws applicable to their location before making any health or birth-related decisions.By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that you are responsible for your own decisions and actions.The show notes may contain affiliate links. IF you click and purchase product or service I might be compensated. Thank you for your support. 

In today's episode, host Augustine sits down with Kayla Branstetter — English instructor, TEDx speaker, doctoral candidate in healthcare education, and author of the forthcoming book Don't Be an Athena — for a conversation that sits right at the intersection of storytelling, reproductive trauma, and the future of patient-centered care.Kayla's work in narrative medicine is a beautiful reminder that behind every chart, every lab result, and every clinical encounter is a human being with a story that deserves to be heard. And for midwives and birth workers who already know this in their bones — this episode gives you the language, the research, and the tools to do it even better.In this episode we cover:What narrative medicine actually is — and why it's been around for centuries, we're just now naming itKayla's personal journey through her mother's teen pregnancy, her own infertility and miscarriage, and how storytelling found herHow a patient's chart tells a story — and what we miss when we only look at the numbersThe growing mistrust between the medical community and patients — and what narrative medicine offers as a bridgeHow providers can support traumatized clients after unwished-for birth outcomes — including the power of offering writing as an alternative to talkingObstetric violence, medical gaslighting, and what patients can actually do — from documenting their experience to filing grievances and amending their own medical recordsHow a midwife or doula can be a powerful patient advocate in the aftermath of traumaVicarious and secondary trauma in providers — and how narrative medicine workshops create space for clinicians to reflect and healThe myth of Medusa and Athena — and why Kayla's book asks us to stop turning survivors into monstersWhy medical humanities is on the rise — and the medical school built next to an art museum that's changing how future doctors are trainedResources & Links:

299: I'm joined by Dr. Stuart Fischbein to have an honest conversation about modern pregnancy, birth culture, and why so many women feel fearful going into labor. We talk about the rise in C-sections, inductions, epidurals, and the cascade of interventions that can happen in hospital births. Dr. Stu also explains the history behind “geriatric pregnancy,” the differences between midwifery and the medical model, and why informed consent and individualized care matter so much for mothers and babies. Whether you're currently pregnant, planning to have children someday, or simply curious about how birth has changed over time, this episode offers a deeper look at the modern birth system and the importance of trusting women's bodies.Topics Discussed: → Pregnancy After 35 & “Geriatric Pregnancy” → Home Birth vs Hospital Birth → Fear-Based Birth Culture → C-Sections, Inductions & Medical Interventions → Midwifery Model of Care → Epidurals, Pitocin & Birth Outcomes → Informed Consent & Choosing the Right Birth Provider → Trusting Nature's Design During Birth Sponsored By: → Function | Check your health the way I do — 160+ lab tests a year for $365, plus the ability to dive deeper into your results with Function's trusted connections to platforms like ChatGPT and Claude. Join at https://functionhealth.com/REALFOODOLOGY and use code REALFOODOLOGY25 for a $25 credit toward your membership. → Qualia | Take control of your cellular health today. Go to https://qualialife.com/realfoodology and save 15% to experience the science of feeling younger.  → PaleoValley | Head to https://paleovalley.com/realfoodology for 15% off your first purchase. → BetterWild | Right now, Betterwild is offering our listeners up to 40% off your order at https://betterwild.com/REALFOODOLOGY → Clearstem | Discover the CLEARSTEM difference — Because CLEAR SKIN CHANGES EVERYTHING. Go to https://clearstem.com/realfoodology and use code REALFOODOLOGY at checkout for 15% off your first order.→ 00:00:00 - Introduction → 00:02:11 - Is Pregnancy After 35 Actually “Geriatric”? → 00:08:35 - How Mammals Naturally Give Birth → 00:13:12 - Why C-Sections & Inductions Keep Rising → 00:20:16 - What Counts as a True Birth Emergency? → 00:33:58 - The Cascade of Interventions During Labor → 00:42:20 - Midwives vs Traditional OB Care → 00:49:38 - Solutions for the Modern Birth System → 00:54:57 - Fear-Based Pregnancy Culture & Epidurals → 01:03:07 - Epidurals, Hormones & Baby Bonding → 01:17:07 - “Your Baby Is Too Big” & Birth Myths → 01:21:17  - Induction at 41/42 Weeks Explained → 01:25:31 - Why Birth Stories Stay With Women Forever → 01:28:37 - Final Thoughts + Trusting Your BodyShow Links: → ⁠realfoodology.com Check Out: Dr. Stu → Instagram - Birthinginstincts → Dr. Stu's Newsletter Sign Up  Check Out Courtney:  →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠LEAVE US A VOICE MESSAGE⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Check Out My new FREE Grocery Guide!⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠@realfoodology⁠⁠⁠⁠ →⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠PEOPLE VS THE POISON - Sign up now!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠www.realfoodology.com⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠My Immune Supplement by 2x4⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Air Dr Air Purifier⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠AquaTru Water Filter⁠⁠⁠⁠ → ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠EWG Tap Water Database⁠⁠⁠⁠  Produced By: Drake Peterson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Mama Baby Fund provides maternity care and childbirth support to people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/ 

www.missingwitches.com/beltane-2026-midwives-to-new-worlds-mwrf-2026-part-1 The Missing Witches coven is trans-inclusive, anti-racist, feminist, pro-science, anti-ableist, and full of AWE and LOVE.If that sounds like your people, come find out more. https://www.missingwitches.com/join-the-coven/

Join the conversation by letting us know what you think about the episode!*** Correction: "I did notice one mistake at the end of the conversation regarding a statistic. I said that maternal mortality is 4 women per 1,000 live births in The Netherlands versus 1,000 out of 1,000 live births in other countries. What I meant to say was 4 per 100,000 and 1,000 per 100,000 live births." - LiselotteMay 5 is International Day of the Midwife and the theme this year is "One Million More Midwives". The message is simple but urgent: the world is facing a critical shortage of midwives, and without investment in the workforce, women and newborns will continue to pay the price. Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth complications, most of them preventable. Evidence shows that with one million more midwives, we could prevent 67% of maternal deaths, 64% of newborn deaths and 65% of stillbirths — saving more than 4.3 million lives by 2035. To discuss all of this and more, our guest this week is Liselotte Kweekel - a midwife with 15 years of experience in community-based care in the Netherlands, including home births and running an independent midwifery practice. She currently works as a Midwife Advisor at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM). Alongside her clinical work, Liselotte has worked for and with midwives' associations for many years, supporting their development and strengthening their role at national and international level. She has extensive experience building partnerships through twinning, supporting long-term exchange, learning, and collaboration between midwives across different countries and care settings. In recent years, her work has focused on supporting midwives and midwives' associations in humanitarian and crisis-affected contexts, working closely with UN partners and national stakeholders to strengthen midwifery leadership and response capacity. Liselotte also volunteers with Doctors of the World in the Netherlands, supporting undocumented migrants in accessing appropriate sexual and reproductive healthcare. She is also a mother of two daughters.Where to find more information:International Confederation of Midwives website: https://millionmore.org/ICM petition: https://millionmore.org/petition/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/world_midwives/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-confederation-of-midwives/posts/?feedView=allSupport the showBe part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts about this episode, what you may have learned, how the conversation affected you. You can reach Raquel and Jennifer on IG @madnesscafepodcast or by email at madnesscafepodcast@gmail.com.Share the episode with a friend and have your own conversation. And don't forget to rate and review the show wherever you listen!Thanks!

Who are the unexpected heroes who helped save Israel's future deliverer, and what does their courage reveal about God's plan? Dr. Krystal Pierce explores Exodus 1-3, highlighting Jehovah's covenant power, Moses's struggle for identity, and the faithful women who preserved the prophet who would lead Israel to freedom.YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/u41LHmJSXAQALL EPISODES/SHOW NOTESfollowHIM website: https://www.followHIM.coFREE PDF DOWNLOADS OF followHIM QUOTE BOOKSNew Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastNTBookOld Testament: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastOTBookBook of Mormon: https://tinyurl.com/PodcastBMBook  WEEKLY NEWSLETTER https://tinyurl.com/followHIMnewsletter  SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/followHIMpodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastTIMECODE:00:00 Part 1 - Dr. Krystal Pierce02:41 Episode teaser05:20 Bio07:17 Come, Follow Me Manual and Exodus begins10:59 The Hyksos and then a new king 14:40 The Hebrews build storage cities and miraculously multiply18:59 Crushing the Hebrew's spirits and mud bricks21:40 Has the Lord abandoned us?25:42 Righteous leadership suffers also26:31 Midwives save the Hebrews31:20 Female Heroes35:18  Moses's family 38:19 Moses's ark40:17 A fourth woman saving Moses and the Israelites42:28 Jehovah is merciful43:46 Miriam and women as symbols of Jesus Christ46:60 Moses's first forty years49:22 Moses is taught his identity53:21 Midianites and liminal spaces57:12 Moses and a sixth woman who saves58:58 the Lord hears their suffering and remembers covenants1:01:09 Melted mud brick bottom and Jethro1:04:23 A burning bush1:07:38 Holy vs profane spaces1:08:54 Moses is His son and will deliver Israel1:12:36 Land of milk and date syrup1:14:03 End of Part 1 - Dr. Krystal PierceThanks to the followHIM team:Steve & Shannon Sorensen: Cofounder, Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish TranscriptsAmelia Kabwika: Portuguese TranscriptsHeather Barlow: Communications DirectorSydney Smith: Social Media, Graphic Design "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com