Evidence Based Birth®

*Request from Team EBB: We would love it if you left a review for us on your favorite podcast platform! Let us know one new thing you learned, and/or one thing you would like us to cover next year. 

In this episode, Dr. Dekker and EBB Research Fellow Sara Ailshire reflect on groundbreaking research published by Evidence Based Birth®️ in 2023. Dive into evidence-based insights on Group B Streptococcus (GBS) in pregnancy, Premature Rupture of Membranes (PROM), and skin-to-skin care after a Cesarean. Discover alternative approaches, vital statistics, and the intersection of birth with climate change and infection risks. Rebecca and Sara will also reflect on the year's most popular episodes and give you a glimpse into exciting episodes and Signature Articles to come in 2024.

Content note: Preterm birth, interventions, climate change, infant mortality, serious infant illness, racism. 

Resources:

The Top 5 most downloaded episodes of 2023:

  • EBB 166 [Replay] The Experience of a Powerful and MIiraculous Birth with Brooklynn and Hoang Pham

  • EBB 264: Top 3 Tips for Exercise in Pregnancy with Mamaste Fit

  • EBB 257: Updated Evidence on Group B Strep Part 2

  • EBB 256: Top 3 Recommendations for Preventing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction after Birth with Dr. Sarah Duvall

  • EBB 254: Evidence on GBS in Pregnancy

Direct download: EBB_295_with_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

In this episode, I'm joined by Emilie Rodriguez and Guramrit LeBron, the dynamic duo behind Ashé Birthing Services and The Bridge Directory. Ashé Birthing Services is a collective of specially selected birth workers who provide full-spectrum care for families in the greater New York City area. Their approach blends evidence-based research with ancestral practices, offering families a unique individual experience often missing in mainstream maternal care.
 
Emilie and Guramrit share their personal journeys into birth work, highlighting the pivotal moments that led them to become doulas and advocates for birthing people. They discuss the challenges and racism they encountered within the healthcare system and the importance of finding providers who understand and respect your cultural and ancestral traditions.
 
We delve into how Ashé Birthing Services and The Bridge Directory are changing the landscape of perinatal care, making it more accessible, informed, and culturally sensitive. They also explain how their platform connects people with Black and Brown providers in the perinatal period and the importance of community-nominated Council of Elders in guiding their work. If you're passionate about empowering Black birth and improving maternal care, you won't want to miss this insightful conversation with Emilie and Guramrit.
 
Content note: Issues related to racism in healthcare and challenges in the maternity care system.

Resources:

EBB Podcast Episodes Referenced in this Episode:

  • EBB 161 and EBB 220 with Kimberly Seals Allers of the Irth App
  • EBB 260 with Ms. Divine Bailey-Nicholas about Plant Medicine
  • EBB 261: Mini Q&A on Group B Strep
  • EBB 10 about the ARRIVE trial

EBB Signature Articles:

Get a FREE handout for each topic at the links above to help your informed decision making!

Want more support from Evidence Based Birth®? 

  • Sign up for our newsletter here
  • Join our Professional Membership here
  • Apply to become an EBB Instructor here

Make sure to follow us on social:

Direct download: EBB_294_-_Emilie_and_Guramrit_with_updates.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

In this episode, I'm welcoming Eri Guajardo Johnson, the founder of Birth Bruja, a platform dedicated to decolonial approaches to healing and reproductive care. Eri, a queer, biracial, Latinx birth worker, specializes in supporting survivors of sexual violence and marginalized populations. We discuss the importance of centering Black and Indigenous wisdom, breaking down oppressive systems, and creating alternatives in the realm of birth work. Eri also shares insights on self-compassion and the practice of intimacy in their work. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how to navigate decolonial approaches to birth and healing.
 
Content Warning: supporting survivors of sexual assault, the impact of colonialism and racism in the context of reproductive care and healing.
 
Resources:
 
Follow Eri's work:

Make sure to sign up for the email list on the Birth Bruja website! 

 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
 
Follow us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class

 

 

Direct download: EBB_293_-_Eri_Guajardo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

In this episode, I’m joined by Liesel Teen, a seasoned L&D nurse and childbirth educator and the creator of Mommy Labor Nurse, where she reveals the common myths surrounding pregnancy and birth.
 
Learn about the shocking misconceptions, such as babies running out of room, the impact of baby size on vaginal delivery, the importance of partner education, and the need for postpartum care. She also delves into the unexpected, and rare, scenario of giving birth in the car, and shares essential tips for partners and mothers on how to keep the baby safe and warm during this intense moment. Liesel's valuable insights will empower expectant parents to approach their childbirth journey with knowledge and confidence. Discover the truth behind these myths and how to prepare for a positive birth experience.
 
Content Warnings: emergency car births, risk of stillbirth, gendered language
 
 
Resources:

Listen to an EBB Episode:

 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
 
Follow us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class

In this episode, we delve into the latest evidence-based information on skin-to-skin care in the operating room after a Cesarean. I'm joined by co-host Sara Ailshire, a doctoral candidate in anthropology and the 2023 EBB Research Fellow, and we explore the history, benefits, and barriers surrounding this practice. Discover how skin-to-skin care positively influences lactation, stabilizes newborns, and enhances the birth experience, and learn why some hospitals and providers are hesitant to offer it and how these barriers can be overcome.
 
*If you want the Pocket Guides we mention at the beginning of this episode, you can see if we have any in stock here
 
Content Warning: topics related to Cesarean sections, preterm birth, NICU stays, separation of parents and babies, infant mortality rates, and the impact of racism on Cesarean rates and lactation.
 
Resources
  • For a full list of resources and references please visit our Evidence for Skin to Skin Care After a Cesarean page here.
  • To read the full Signature Article on Skin to Skin Care After a Cesarean and download our 1-Page Handout, click here.
  • To read the updated ACOG opinion on 'Optimizing Support for Breastfeeding as Part of Obstetric Practice,' click here.  
Relevant EBB Signature Articles:
Listen to EBB Episodes:
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
 
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Find out if our Pocket Guides are currently available by visiting our shop here!
  • Check out our EBB Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here.
  • Find an EBB Instructor here
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®®️ Childbirth Class.
 
Direct download: EBB_291_-_Cesarean_skin-to-skin_care_with_corrected_url.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT


Direct download: EBB_289_-_Siri_with_Rebecca_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, I’m talking with Malisa Dekker, a Postpartum Doula and Chef based in Brooklyn, New York, about her profound journey through two contrasting birth and postpartum experiences that shaped her passion for postpartum wellness.

Malisa’s first birth took place during the tumultuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic, where interventions and a lack of support left her feeling disconnected and overwhelmed. With the desire for change, Malisa embarked on her second pregnancy, seeking empowerment and a holistic approach to birthing. She details her transformational shift to a home birth with the support of a dedicated midwife, her partner Taylor, and a community of friends who understood the importance of empathetic care and emphasized the profound impact having one’s emotional needs addressed during labor can have on a birthing person’s experience. Malisa’s experience led her to become a passionate advocate for postpartum wellness and support, driving her to become a Postpartum Doula. Through her unique combination of skills as a Doula and Chef, she aims to provide nourishment, care, and empathy to new parents during the challenging postpartum period.

Content Warnings: postpartum anxiety, a pandemic birth story with isolation and interventions

 
Resources
  • Follow Malisa’s work on Instagram: @plantedpostpartum
  • Learn more about Malisa’s postpartum nutrition mentor, Alicia Allison: CloverandTimothy.com
  • Check out training opportunities from:
    • the Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings (BADT) website
    • EBB's parent workshops and classes calendar
    • Read “The First Forty Days” book to prepare for postpartum nutrition and self care needs

Listen to EBB Episodes

 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Follow us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class
Direct download: EBB_288_-_new_MalisaDekker.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Content Warning: postpartum hemorrhage, GBS Positive, antibiotics for GBS,
 
On this episode of the EBB podcast, I talk with Katrina Hull, a graduate of the EBB childbirth class about her positive hospital water birth story.
 
Katrina Hull is a former high school math and engineering teacher with over a decade of experience in the classroom. Her passion for education and entrepreneurship has led her to her current role as coordinating producer at PBS NewsHour Classroom where she develops lesson materials and resources for integrating invention education into classrooms across the country.
 
Katrina shares her experiences taking the EBB childbirth class and discusses in depth the education and work she put into preparing for her desired hospital water birth. In addition to finding her “Golden Ticket” birth team and desired location, she shares the details of her amazing and empowering birth story, despite having a few complications, including finding out she was Group B Strep Positive and handling a postpartum hemorrhage.
 
Resources:
  • Learn more about Marnellie Bishop’s Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class here
  • Learn more about the GentleBirth Pregnancy app here
  • Read more about Rebecca’s experience with Hypnobabies®️ in Babies are Not Pizza’s
  • Learn more about the Evidence on Hypnosis for Pain Management here
  • Learn more about the Evidence on water immersion for Pain Management here
  • Learn about the research evidence on combining hypnosis and water immersion for pain: Madden, K., Middleton, P., Cyna, A. M., et al. (2016). Hypnosis for pain management during labour and childbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev(5), CD009356.
Listen to Evidence Based Birth®️ Podcasts:
 
Learn more about joining our Pro Membership for birth workers here, to take take our class on emergency management of PPH


On this episode of the EBB Podcast, I interview Jessica Diggs, midwife, doula mentor and co-founder of Centered about creating a sustainable career in birth work.
 
Jessica is a licensed midwife working in a solo practice in Los Angeles. Jessica supports people and families through holistic gynecological care, home birth services, and conception support. Jessica has a skill and love for making childbirth and reproductive education digestible and accessible for all people. She is the co-founder of Centered, a curated community for doulas and she is the former lead educator and curriculum developer at Doula Training International.  
 
Jessica and I discuss not only her career path from doula to midwife but dive deep into a discussion about making birth work sustainable in the long run. Jessica shares a multitude of tips for our audience in avoiding burnout, setting boundaries to better serve yourself and your clients, as well as finding your joy and purpose in birth work outside just attending births. With over 10 years in the field and a thriving career, Jessica practices what she preaches and has a passion for teaching others not only about how to be a doula at a birth, but a doula making a living wage and sustainable career path.
 
Content Warning: Black maternal and Black infant death, Postpartum death, systemic racism
 
Resources
 
Learn about Jessica’s work, including how to join Centered here
 
Follow Jessica’s work: 
Find the book The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker here 
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_285_-_new_JessicaDiggs_14Jul23_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, I'm joined by Hollis Wakefield, also known as The NICU Doula. Join us as we delve into a crucial topic: how to help NICU families find empowerment and healing during their challenging journeys.

Hollis is a former NICU parent turned birth worker, educator, and family advocate, and she shares her own powerful story of navigating a traumatic birth, early delivery, and the emotional roller coaster of having a medically complex baby in the NICU. She sheds light on the critical gaps in support and resources that many NICU families encounter, from the emotional toll to practical challenges, and highlights the importance of empowering NICU families during their transition from the NICU to home and provides insights into her work as an educator for doulas supporting NICU families.

Content Warning: The conversation includes discussions about birth trauma, PTSD, and the potential for distressing experiences in the NICU environment.
 
Follow The NICU Doula on Instagram
Learn more about Hollis and her work below:

Click here for information from March of Dimes on preterm labor and premature birth.

For the Evidence Based Birth® Signature Article on Premature Rupture of Membranes, click here.

Listen to EBB episodes:

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on

Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

 

 

 
Direct download: EBB_284_-_new_Hollis_Wakefield.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On today's podcast, I talk with Tania Silva Meléndez  and Tamara Trinidad González, CPM, birth workers and Evidence Based Birth®®️ Instructors about giving birth and midwifery care in Puerto Rico.
 
Tania Silva Meléndez  is a certified birth, postpartum, and abortion doula serving families in Puerto Rico since 2009. She's also a certified childbirth educator and breastfeeding/chestfeeding educator and counselor. She is the general coordinator of the team of Caderamen, a nonprofit community-based organization that works towards reducing inequalities in reproductive care, and she also supports Alimentación Segura Infantil, a community-based organization born after the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 to support breastfeeding and chestfeeding families in their lactation journeys, help them relactate their children when needed. Tania is also a human rights activist and advocate in her community and part of the Observatorio de Violencia Obstétrica in Puerto Rico and Las Mingas de Aborto, an abortion doula collective that offers free support in Puerto Rico.
 
Tamara Trinidad González, CPM, is a community parteira/midwife, perinatal educator and herbalist born and raised in Puerto Rico. Tamara is a mother of two children who were born at home with midwives and has been actively involved in birth work for 10 years. She holds a Master of Science in midwifery with foundations in botanical medicine from Bastyr University and is a certified professional midwife. Her midwifery and herbal practice is called Semilla Creciente, Midwifery & Herbalism.
 
In this episode, Tania and Tamara have a very candid conversation about the realities of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum care in Puerto Rico. They speak to how Puerto Rico’s birth landscape has been negatively impacted by the island’s history of colonialism, economic crisis’, environmental changes, and changes in political power. This has culminated in a system with far too few midwives and obstetricians, as well as high surgical birth rates, low VBAC rates, high prematurity rates, and more. Both Tania and Tamara educate our listeners on these issues but also raise awareness to the community organizations who have the trust of the pregnant and postpartum families they serve and the work being done to better support the families of Puerto Rico.
 
If you are interested in joining with Tania and Tamara and volunteering your time or skills to help them reform the maternal health system in Puerto Rico, they are currently looking for volunteers with experience in law, public relations, funding, data collection, research, and writing. OR if you have resources, or access to connections that could help fund their work, please email puertoricobirthrights@gmail.com.
 
 
Resources:
Read about the history of Puerto Rico:
 
· Learn more about Caderamen, a nonprofit organization that has a service program that is called SePARE, which offers education and doula services, midwifery services and naturopathic medicine services, social workers, mental health by clicking here.
· Learn more about the Asociación de Parteras of Puerto Rico here.
· Learn more about Alimentación Segura Infantil, a community-based organization born after the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 to support breastfeeding and chestfeeding families in their lactation journeys by clicking here
· Learn more about Observatorio de Violencia Obstétrica in Puerto Rico here.
· Learn more about Las Mingas de Aborto, an abortion doula collective that offers free support in Puerto Rico here
 
Check out the work by Puerto Rican journalist Biana Graulau here: https://www.youtube.com/@BiancaGraulau/videos
 
If you would like to read a transcript of this episode in Spanish, please visit the blog post here or you can watch the captions in Spanish on YouTube.
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Follow us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class
Direct download: EBB_283_Tania_Tamara_updated_by_Rebecca.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode of the Evidence Based Birth®️ podcast, I talk with Marea Goodman of Restore Midwifery and Ray Rachlin of Refuge Midwifery, all about their work and their new book Baby Making For Everybody- A Guide for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents.
 
Marea Goodman, CPM, pronouns she/her/they, is the licensed midwife specializing in pregnancy, birth, postpartum and conception care for the LGBTQ+ community. She's the co-author of the new book Baby Making For Everybody- A Guide for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents and the founder of PregnantTogether, an online community for queer people and their allies throughout trying to conceive pregnancy and the postpartum.
 
Ray Rachlin, she/they, is a licensed midwife, certified professional midwife, author, and founder of Refuge Midwifery. Since 2017, Ray has been providing fertility care, home birth care, and community education throughout the greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey. Ray is also co-author of the book Baby Making For Everybody, which just came out in April 2023. Ray and her family live in West Philadelphia.
 
Marea and Ray join me to discuss their practices as queer midwives and the work they are doing to make the fields of midwifery, fertility, and reproductive health more inclusive, more transparent, and more accessible to the clients they serve. Through their new book, they have demystified and provide comprehensive education on everything regarding baby making from nutrition to legal matters. Their work is the definition reproductive justice – by inviting more families to be included and safe in this space.
 
Resources:
·       Follow Marea’s work on Instagram @Restore_Midwifery
·       Follow Ray’s work @refugemidwifery
·       Follow the impact of Marea and Ray’s new book on Instagram @babymakingforeverybody and check for additional information and resources on their blog 
 
Check out the following books:
 
For legal information about family formation near you, check out Family Equality here https://www.familyequality.org
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB282_MareaGoodman_RayRachlin_10Jul23.1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On today's episode we are bringing back one of the most popular Signature Article episodes on the Evidence on Birthing Positions. Listen and learn more about:

  • How upright birthing positions benefit pregnant people and babies,
  • How common are upright birthing positions and understanding your options,
  • Which birthing positions are best supported by evidence, and,
  • For people with epidurals, which birthing positions are best supported by evidence.

Read more about The Evidence on: Birthing Positions on the blog. 

For parents - learn more about your options and sign up for the EBB Childbirth Class here .

For birth professionals - get access to the full-length signature articles here. 

Don't forget to join the conversation on social: 

 

Direct download: Replay_-_EBB_241_Evidence_on_Birthing_Positions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Content note: We strongly encourage you to listen to EBB Podcast Episode 277 The Evidence on PROM and check out our recently updated Signature Article on PROM here before listening to this episode. 
 
Content Warnings: Discussion of viability, complications with preterm birth, causes of preterm birth, and racism. 
 
On this episode of the EBB Podcast, we bring you a mini episode on the research on Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes. We are excited to share this episode as an extension of the recent Signature Article update on PROM. 
 
In this episode, I will cover the following topics:  
  • What is Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)?
  • How Common is it? 
  • What Causes Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)? 
  • When does Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) occur?
  • Treatment Options for Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)
  • Risks associated with Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)
  • Prevention of Preterm Premature Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) and Pre-Term Birth 
  • Racism and Pre-Term Birth 
Resources for PPROM
 

Read our Signature Article on GBS here 

Read our Abortion Resource Guide here

 
Guidelines for PPROM
 
Listen to the following EBB Episodes and read the associated Signature Articles: 
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️Childbirth Class.
 
Direct download: EBB_281_-_Preterm_PROM_Mini_episode.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:01am EDT

On this episode of the EBB podcast, I talk with Nekisha Killings, IBCLC and founder of The Melanated Mammary Atlas®, all about cultural humility and educating clinicians and birth workers about identifying and diagnosing conditions that present in Black and Brown breasts/chests.
 
Nekisha Killings, holds a master's in public health (MPH) and is an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). She's an equity strategist and maternal and child health advocate who speaks, teaches and facilitates on topics related to equity and dismantling bias across various sectors. She is also a director of equity, inclusion, and belonging with the Black Mothers' Breastfeeding Association and consults with organizations on implementing creative strategies to better support marginalized communities. As a leader in the field, she wrote the chapter titled Cultural Humility in the latest core curriculum for interdisciplinary lactation care and continues to wow audiences with new realizations that positively impact their approach to business and life.
 
Nekisha shares how she's working to change the face of lactation education and bring equity, inclusion, diversity and most importantly training and education to clinicians and birth workers around the normalization of Black and Brown breasts/chests, as well as, identifying and diagnosing clinical conditions that present on melanated skin. Not only is Nekisha working to revolutionize how we understand many pathologies in lactation, she shares how she has been entrusted to carry forward in the production of the pivotal Breastfeeding Atlas and ensure that future clinicians and folks vested in the lactation dyad have access to accurate, complete, and inclusive information.
 
Content Warning: Discussion of birth/lactation trauma and lack of diversity and inclusion in lactation training.
 
Resources:
 
Follow The Melanated Mammary Atlas® on Instagram 
Follow Nekisha on Instagram 
 
Learn more and subscribe to The Melanated Mammary Atlas® here 
Learn more about Nekisha and her work here
 
Find The Breastfeeding Atlas here 
 
 
Listen to EBB episodes:
 
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB280_NekishaKillings_22Jun2023.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

In this episode of the EBB Podcast, I talk with EBB Childbirth Class graduates, Dr. Maria Rosselson and Nim Guttman their surprise pregnancy, and equally surprising home birth.
 
Dr. Maria Rosselson is a physician practicing as a board certified ophthalmologist in the Chicago area. Her husband, Nim Guttman, is an architect. They've been married since 2016 and live with their dog, Asher.
 
Maria and Nim share their experiences taking the EBB Childbirth Class and how it resulted in an evolution of thought for Maria as a physician and discuss extensively what it was like to surprisingly grow their family well after they thought that chapter of their lives was behind them. Their life took a surprising turn when they found themselves unexpectedly expecting their first child, a baby girl, in the Fall of 2022. Their baby's arrival into the world was just as unexpected, an unanticipated, unplanned, unmedicated home birth.
 
Content Warning: discussion of unplanned pregnancy, unplanned home birth, and a 911 call. There is also a mention of witnessing a postpartum maternal death in medical school.
 
Resources:
Learn about about the topics discussed in this episode at the following EBB resources:
Learn about 312 Doulas here 
Learn more about taking the EBB Childbirth Class with Heather McCullough here
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB279_MariaRosselson_12Jun2023.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode of the EBB podcast, we interview Hakima Payne, founder and executive director of Uzazi Village, about her creation of the Village Circle, an innovative Afrocentric model of prenatal and postpartum care. 
 
Hakima Payne, holds a bachelor's in nursing and a master's in nursing education. She is the founder of Uzazi Village, a nonprofit working to eliminate maternal health disparities in African American communities, as well as the founder of The Village Doula Program, which is a community-based home visiting community health worker program for pregnant families. She also created Chocolate Milk Cafe, a breastfeeding support group for Black families, the Village Circle, which is an Afrocentric group prenatal care model, and a curriculum called Culturally Congruent Care, which is an anti-racist medical education curriculum. Hakima sits on her local Fetal Infant Mortality Review board to address Black infant mortality and has been appointed by her city's mayor to serve as a health commissioner. Mama Hakima is a certified trainer for community health workers and she speaks nationally on the topics of Black maternal and infant health. 
 
Ms. Payne works relentlessly to make birth safer, the village healthier, and to promote anti-racist models of care for African American families. She is the subject of a documentary that just came out called Sister Doula, and she's going to be featured in a second upcoming documentary called Pregnancy and Prejudice. 
 
Hakima talks with us about her work in improving maternal health in Kansas City. Not only is Hakima bringing an innovative model of care to her community, that includes access to community-based, Afrocentric prenatal care, doulas, herbalists, a chef and more, she is proving that it works. Through partnerships with a team of epidemiologists and a local university, Hakima is able to measure and quantify their client experience and demonstrate how Uzazi Village improves birth and postpartum outcomes. Hakima discusses the unique aspects of the Village Circle model and why each piece is important to the care of the community.
 
Resources: 
Listen to EBB Episodes: 

Ready to get involved?

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. 
  • Sign up for the EBB Newsletter here. 
  • Check out the Birth Justice page here.
  • For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. 

     

     


On this episode of the EBB Podcast, I am so excited to bring you brand new, evidence on premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term!   
 
We are releasing today’s episode to celebrate the update of our Signature Article on the Evidence on PROM.  
 
In today’s episode, I am going to cover the following topics related to PROM:
  • What are the membranes, and what does it mean to say they’ve “ruptured”?
  • Membrane rupture can help prepare the body for the process of childbirth—but why?
  • What is it like when your water breaks before labor?
  • What are some risk factors that might increase the chances of your water breaking before labor?
  • What is the “24-hour clock for PROM,” and where did it come from?
  • If you have PROM, how long does it take for labor to start on its own?
  • How are GBS and PROM related?
  • What does the research evidence say on Induction versus Waiting for Labor for term PROM?
  • What are the professional guidelines?
  • What is the Bottom Line?
Resources:
For a full list of resources and references please visit our blog on the Evidence on PROM here.  
To read the full Signature Article on PROM and download our 1-Page Handout, click here.  
Watch our special video on PROM on our YouTube Channel
 
Listen to EBB Episodes:
 
For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth, visit www.ebbirth.com.
Find us on: 
Want to get involved at EBB? 
  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_277_-_Evidence_PROM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:57am EDT

July 26, 2023 - For today's episode, we are highlighting one of our favorite podcast episodes with the replay of an interview with Lily Nichols, RDN, all about nutrition and real food in pregnancy.

Content warning: gestational diabetes, high-risk pregnancies, food insecurities, "failed diet therapy", NICU, and interventions

On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk with Lily Nichols, RDN, about nutrition and real food in pregnancy.

Lily Nichols (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for evidence-based prenatal nutrition. Her work is known for being research-focused, thorough, and critical of outdated dietary guidelines. She is co-founder of the Women’s Health Nutrition Academy and the author of two books, Real Food for Pregnancy and Real Food for Gestational Diabetes. Lily’s bestselling books have helped tens of thousands of families, are used in university-level maternal nutrition and midwifery courses, and have even influenced prenatal nutrition policy internationally.

In this episode, we talk about the difference between eating real food and processed food in pregnancy, and the best ways to use nutrition to “stack the deck in your favor” for a lower-risk, healthier pregnancy. Lily talks candidly about the gap between evidence and nutritional practice, the importance of protein and choline in pregnancy, and why blood sugar management is so important in pregnancy.

Resources:

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Ready to get involved?


On this episode of the EBB podcast, we are talking with Avital Norman Nathman, author and freelance writer about trends in birth and parenthood in the US.
 
Avital is a freelance writer and editor who focuses her work on motherhood, maternal health, gender and reproductive rights and justice. Her writing, which places a feminist lens on a variety of topics, including motherhood, maternal health, gender, reproductive rights, and cannabis, can be found in a variety of print and online articles for outlets like The New York Times, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, VICE, and more. 
 
Her first book, The Good Mother Myth: Redefining Motherhood to Fit Reality, provides a platform for diverse voices that often get left out of the conversations surrounding parenting. Avital is currently working on two new books. She is a co-editor for an anthology on abortion, and her upcoming book, The Perfect Birth Myth, combines research, expert analysis, and narrative experiences to look at the intersection of the birth industry and the health care system to understand how this ideal of the perfect birth came about, why it’s a red herring, and how we can do better to ensure that all folks who are pregnant can have access to quality care and the chance at a birth that is safe and that they are comfortable with.
 
Avital discusses the evolution of “motherhood” from the early aughts and “Mommy blogging” to internet activism, connection, and the ongoing “mommy wars” of the internet. Additionally, Avital discusses her upcoming and ongoing projects related to writing about the current state of having a baby in the US healthcare system and political climate, while calling out the experiences of marginalized populations and bringing forth the less obvious but very important consequences of the Dobbs decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
 
Trigger Warning: abortion, miscarriage, hemorrhage, Dobbs decision, Roe v. Wade, maternal healthcare deserts, birth trauma
 

In today's episode, we talk with Emily Helgerson, an EBB Childbirth Class Graduate about how taking the EBB Childbirth class helped her navigate transferring from a birth center to the hospital after experiencing premature rupture of membranes while being positive for Group B Strep.
 
Emily Helgerson holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in Spanish, with a minor in Italian, from the University of Minnesota and a master's in second language teaching with a focus on immersion from McGill University. Emily taught Spanish immersion elementary school before deciding to stay home with baby Teddy, after he was born. Her and her partner, Brad, live in Minneapolis with their toddler and two cats. In 2023, it was announced that Emily will be the new Dean of Skovsøen, the Danish language village in Northern Minnesota.
 
Emily shares how the Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth Class provided tools, resources and preparation that her and her partner were able to practice throughout pregnancy and remain empowered when they faced a hospital transfer. Emily talks about her Golden Ticket team, with her partner, doula (who is also her mom!) and the team of midwives between the birth center and the hospital.  
 
We will also introduce a newer research topic regarding placenta size, placental measurement and its correlation to newborn health outcomes.
 
Content Warning: Group B Strep, Antibiotics for group B Strep, Heart decelerations, birth center transfer to hospital
 
 
Resources:
 
Check out EBB's Signature Articles:
 
Follow Emily Helgerson’s Parenting Group on IG @Common Ground Parenting 
 
Listen to the following podcasts: 
 
Check out these pregnancy books
 
·      The Birth Partner
 
Learn more about Spinning Babies here
Subscribe to Jen McLellans pregnancy week by week here
Learn more about Sharon Quinn's EBB Childbirth Class here
Direct download: EBB_275_Emily_Helgerson_-_revised.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode of the EBB podcast, we talk with Michelle Browder, artist, activist, and the creator of the Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsy Monument in Montgomery, Alabama, established to honor the three Mothers of Gynecology.
 
Michelle Browder is a nationally recognized artist, activist, and amplifier, bridging the racial divide through art, history, and conversation. Michelle's artwork has been exhibited in art galleries around the world, most notably, the Rosa Parks Museum located in Montgomery, Alabama. In September 2021, she created a monument to honor three enslaved women, Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey, in Montgomery, Alabama. This monument is a reminder of the inhumane treatment and experimentation on enslaved Black bodies. The medical procedures that we have access to today in gynecology have been perfected because of them. The monument honors these Black women and all those that came after to correct the historical narrative around the beginnings of gynecology.
 
Michelle shares with us how she originally learned about the dark history of Anarcha, Lucy and Betsy and the inspiration to create a monument about the true founders of the field of gynecology. Not only is Michelle working to correct the history of gynecology, she discusses her progress and future plans to bring access, care, and healing to families and practitioners in the 21st Century, at the same site of the torture of Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsy, the Mothers of Gynecology. In the words of Michelle, y'all ain't ready!

Trigger Warning: anti black racism, the use of the N-word, experimentation on enslaved women, sexual trafficking and sexual abuse, postpartum suicidal ideation.

Resources:
Follow Michelle’s Work
Instagram: @anarchalucybetsey
Twitter @mothersofgyno and on Facebook  
 
Sign up for Michelle’s newsletter and learn more about the 2024 conference here https://www.anarchalucybetsey.org
 
Read the following books:
Learn about Africatown 
 
Learn about what Evidence Based Birth®️ is doing to fight racism and download free handouts here
 
Read more reproductive justice research on EBB's Birth Justice page

In this episode of the EBB Podcast, we dive into the updated research on Nitrous Oxide. I discuss the following topics: 
  • What is Nitrous Oxide? 
  • How is it used?
  • How commonly is Nitrous Oxide used around the world? 
  • How does Nitrous Oxide impact overall satisfaction in birth?
  • What are the benefits of Nitrous Oxide?
  • What are the risks of using Nitrous Oxide? 
  • And lastly, as always, we will discuss the bottom line! 
Resources & References
Direct download: EBB_273_-_Nitrous_Oxide.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with Jessica King, an EBB Childbirth Class graduate, about their journey to parenthood and the importance of finding support networks before, during, and after pregnancy.  
 
Jessica grew up in Upstate New York and then moved to Boston to get her Master's in architecture. While in Boston, she met her wife and fellow upstate New Yorker, Sarah. They started working on creating their family three years ago, and they welcomed their daughter this past November! Jessica and Sarah are graduates of the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB Instructor, Anna Sutkowski. Their family currently lives in St. Louis with their two dogs.
 
Jessica and her wife, a surgical resident, decided to take the EBB Childbirth Class to ease their anxieties and demystify the process of labor and delivery.
 
In this podcast episode, Jessica opens up about her family’s struggles, setbacks, and joy in their journey from assisted reproduction to postpartum. Jessica also shares how she was able to use the skills and knowledge learned in the course to advocate for herself postpartum when she had difficulties with lactation and a postpartum mood disorder. We wrap up this episode by talking about how knowing you are not alone can make all the difference in the world.
 
Trigger Warning: assisted reproduction, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), pregnancy loss, bleeding in pregnancy, epidurals, preeclampsia, newborn jaundice, and postpartum mood disorders.
 
Resources:
Learn more about Anna Sutkoski and her EBB Childbirth Class here 
 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_272__Jessica_King_-_MAR_13-23.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode the EBB Podcast, we talk with Brandi Jordan, the founder of The Cradle Company and the Dear Doula podcast, all about supporting infant mental health using a whole family approach.
 
Brandi is a board-certified lactation consultant, pediatric sleep specialist, newborn care specialist, and a postpartum doula. Brandi's work as a consultant, parenting group leader and in-home practitioner have led her to develop a unique philosophy of gentle parenting techniques that are pragmatic, practical, and a healthy approach for the whole family. In 2018, Brandi founded the National Association of Birth Workers of Color and currently hosts the Dear Doula podcast.
 
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Child Development and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California where she's also an adjunct faculty lecturing in infant mental health and culturally competent mental healthcare.
 
Brandi talks with us about how to find our unique skills and assets to bringing our whole selves into birth work. Once you know what sets you apart, you can connect with the right clients for you to make this work more sustainable. Brandi believes that whatever you think might be your deficit in this work – is actually your assets – it is exactly the type of support certain clients will need. Additionally, she discusses the growing field of infant mental health and how we can support families across the spectrum of development and bring a more holistic and comprehensive approach, a whole family approach, to caring for infants in the prenatal and postpartum periods.
 
Resources: 
 
Follow Brandi's work:
  • Follow Brandi on Instagram
  • Follow the Dear Doula podcast on Instagram here
  • Listen to Rebecca Discuss Circumcision, Water Births, and Evidence Based Care on Brani's Dear Doula Podcast here
  • Connect with the Cradle Company here 
Listen to the following EBB Episodes: 
 
 
Direct download: EBB_271_Brandi_Jordan_with_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode of the EBB podcast, we talk with Cheyenne Varner, the founder of The Educated Birth, about intersectional reproductive health and the importance of birth education to be more inclusive and representative.
 
Cheyenne, is a professional certified birth and postpartum doula and founder of The Educated Birth. The Educated Birth creates intersectional reproductive health education content, from online articles to social media posts to digital and print teaching tools for reproductive health workers. Cheyenne also publishes Everyday Birth Magazine, a print and digital magazine with the same mission to make information and education about pregnancy and postpartum more inclusive.
 
Cheyenne shares her journey from nonprofit work to doula work to now finding herself as the founder of The Educated Birth and the publisher of Everyday Birth Magazine. We discuss the importance of how we talk about pregnancy, how it is shown in pop culture and how most often, images and stories of pregnancy and childbirth are not realistic, representative, or inclusive of real people and their communities. Cheyenne has a passion for making everyone feel safe, seen and protected during vulnerable times. This is evident in how she centers all of her projects in the support, protection and education of communities who have historically been excluded from storytelling and imagery within the birth space.
 
Resources:
Learn more about Cheyenne’s work at
·      The Educated Birth  
·      Everyday Birth  
 
Signup for one of Cheyenne’s workshops here
 
Follow Cheyenne’s work on Instagram:
·      The Educated Birth
·      Everyday Birth 
 
Support Cheyenne’s work on her Patreon here 
 
Learn more about Roots Community Birth Center here
Learn more about the Richmond Doula Project here 

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this Mini Q&A episode of the EBB podcast, I will be answering a variety of questions that have recently been asked of us, including:
 
1.    What if my hospital won't let my healthy newborn go home before 48 hours?
2.    Are modern ultrasounds better at detecting big babies?
3.    What's the maximum time a vacuum can be used during a vacuum assisted delivery?
4.    Does EBB have any new resources I should know about?
 
References/Resources:
  • Read the AAP Guidelines on Hospital Stays for Healthy Term Newborn Infants here 
  • Visit the NAABB here
  • Read the U.S. Department of Labor article on the Newborns' and Mothers' Protection Act here 
  • Read the UpToDate article on vacuum assisted delivery (subscription only) here 

Resources

  • Read the New Evidence Based Birth® Signature Article on Anti-Racism in Health Care and Birth Work (and links to all the free handouts) here  
  • Check out the EBB Pocket Guide to Interventions here 
  • Listen to the following EBB Podcast Episodes:
    •  EBB Podcast 190 Updated Evidence on Big Babies  here
    •  EBB Podcast 244 Evidence on AROM, AVD and Internal Monitoring here 
    • EBB Podcast 265 Evidence on Anti-Racism in Healthcare and Birthwork here 
  • Find an EBB Childbirth Class here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we will be sharing with you an excerpt from a live webinar featuring Dr. Rebecca Dekker all about debunking the myths of Premature Rupture of Membranes, GBS, & Waterbirth. 

We discuss the following topics:
  1. The Updated Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes - There are two new meta-analyses on GBS-- but they have limitations and cannot be applied to countries that screen and treat GBS. New guidelines are included from ACNM, ACOG & the Association of Ontario Midwives.
  2. The myths on GBS - We review what the microbiome is, the influence of probiotics, and why antibiotics are used.
  3. How Waterbirth can be used for labor - We covered the differences in association guidelines of waterbirth, as well as, reviewed the significant results for the risks and benefits of waterbirth from the largest and highest-quality study on waterbirth to date!

This is podcast breaks down the topics for parents and professionals to be informed and empowered!

LECTURE HANDOUTS
EBB SIGNATURE ARTICLES
EBB PODCASTS
 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

Association of Ontario Midwives on PROM: https://www.ontariomidwives.ca/prom-term 

Full list of References can be found on our blog post here.

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Content warning: We will mention labor, medical interventions (i.e. antibiotics, epidural), hospital transfer, waterbirth, pain, premature rupture of membranes, gendered language, medications in labor, vaginal/pelvic birth, Group B Strep, inductions, cervical exams


May 17, 2023 - On today's episode we are honoring Pelvic Floor Awareness Month with a replay episode from one of our most popular episodes, an interview with Dr. Juan Michelle Martin all about pelvic floor health in both pregnancy and postpartum.

Content warning: discussion of sexual function and dysfunctions in plain terms.

In this episode, I will be talking with Dr. Juan Michelle Martin. Dr. Martin is a pelvic floor specialist for 13 years and now an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor. Dr. Martin is the owner and founder of JMM Health Solutions. She's created a few programs for pregnant individuals as well as two coaching programs, one of them being a 12-week program for people with endometriosis, and the other being a four-week program for individuals suffering from dyspareunia.

We talk about the benefits of pelvic floor therapy for pregnancy and postpartum. We also talk about the importance of advocating for accessible pelvic care services.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Ready to get involved?

Direct download: Replay_-_EBB_155_with_Juan_Michelle_Martin_on_Pelvic_Health.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode of the Evidence Base Birth® Podcast, we talk with Barbie Christianson, RN all about fundal massage. We discuss what the evidence actually says about this routine procedure versus what happens in everyday practice, and why this practice continues to persist in routine preventative care.
 
Barbie Christianson is a nurse, community educator and advocate, as well as a parent of four young children. Their mission is to communally dismantle oppressive structures specifically in reproductive/perinatal healthcare while contributing to the expansion of existing Black and/or Indigenous led community-based care structures. Barbie’s special focus is on addressing and eliminating obstetric violence using trauma informed perinatal advocacy, care, and education.
 
Barbie shares her passion and skills in trauma informed care with our audience by sharing useful scripts for obtaining informed consent, explaining how to guide patients in their own assessments and massage, and offers many ways to maintain a calm and compassionate nature to a procedure known as the “devil’s massage.”

Content Warnings: Uterine/fundal massage, obstetric violence and assault, pospartum hemorrgage 
 
Resources:
  • Learn more about active management in the thrid stage of labor in our Signature Article: The Evidence on Pitocin During the Thrird Stage of Labor here
  • Follow the BadAssMotherBirther in Instagram here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

 

Direct download: EBB_267__Barbie_Christianson_-_MAR_19-23.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On this episode of the EBB Podcast, we talked with EBB Childbirth Class Graduates, Priscilla and Nathan Layman about how the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class prepared them for a home birth and their unexpected hospital transfer with a NICU stay.
 
 
Nathan and Priscilla are happy parents who live and work in San Antonio, Texas. Nathan is a pipeline engineer and Priscilla splits her time between caring for their 19-month-old daughter and providing part-time psychotherapy services, as a licensed clinical psychologist.
 
 
Join us as Nathan and Priscilla share their experience learning advocacy skills reviewed in the EBB Childbirth class and how they were used during their daughter’s unexpected NICU stay after their homebirth transfer. We also talk about their birth experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and how empowered they felt with their support team in birth and postpartum.
 
 
Content Warnings: 911 call, emergency transfer to the hospital for low oxygen state in a newborn, respiratory support for an infant in a neonatal intensive care stay.
 
 
Resources:
  • Access EBB's Signature Article on The Evidence on: Waterbirth here
  • Learn more about Deborah Persyn and Leche and Mimi lactation services here
  • Find the book Bringing Home Baby and other resources by Gottman here
  • Learn more about Lea-ann Goettsch's Evidence Based Birth®️ Childbirth class and other services here 
References:
  • Bovbjerg, M.L., Cheyney, M., Caughey, A. B. (2022). “Maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirth: a cohort study of 17,530 waterbirths and 17,530 propensity score-matched land births.” BJOG 129 (6): 950-958.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34773367/

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episodes listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s episode we are celebrating the release of Part 3 of our BRAND NEW Signature Article, "The Evidence on: Anti-Racism in Health Care and Birth Work!"

EBB Research Editor Ihotu Ali, the lead author on this paper, talks with Rebecca Dekker about how  Evidence-Based Equity Tools are solutions that can collectively move Black and Brown voices, leaders, innovative programs, accountability conversations, supportive funding, and legislation from the sidelines to the mainstream.

You can find all three parts of our NEW Signature Article, The Evidence on: Anti-Racism in Health Care and Birth Work here: www.evidencebasedbirth.com/antiracism

Join the conversation to learn more about:

  1. Equity vs equality and diversity vs mending broken relationships
  2. The Evidence Based Equity Triad
  3. The Midwifery Model of Care - What about midwives in birth centers or other community spaces
  4. Community-Based Doulas - Support and mentor a doula of color and expand sustainability of the doula profession through employee benefit models
  5. Reparations and Transformative Justice - Transformative Justice in Leadership Challenges

Additionally, learn how you can answer the call as a birth worker and become an ally in the fight for reproductive justice. 

Resources: 

Find the Black Birthing Bill of Rights® from the NAABB here 
 
Find The Evidence on: Anti-Racism in Health Care and Birth Work here 
 
All of our Free Handouts, including "Getting Started," "Quiz on Anti-Racism," "Afrofuturism in Birth" and "Fighting Anti-Black Racism in Birth" are available here

Listen to EBB Episodes:

  • EBB 136 – Solutions for the Crisis in American Maternity Care with Jennie Joseph here
  • EBB 161 – Addressing Maternity Bias and Infant Care with Irth App Founder, Kimberly Seals Allers  Here
  • EBB 170 Addressing Mistreatment in Childbirth Care with Birth Monopoly Founder, Cristen Pascucci here
  • EBB 220 – Fighting Bias in the Birth Room with Irth App Founder, Kimberly Seals Allers Here
  • EBB 229 Evidence on Doulas: Community-Based Models, the Pandemic and Reimbursement with the Research Team Here
  • EBB 251 – Naseema McElroy, Founder of Financially Intentional, Shares her Courageous Story of Speaking up as a Labor and Delivery Nurse Here 
Watch videos on Tranformative Justice: 
  • Watch Adrienne Maree Brown discuss transformative justice here
  • An example of Restorative Justice: (the Tinkerbell story) told in a YouTube video here 
Find the Article, "Are corporations psychopaths?" here 
 
Find the book on defensiveness: Why Do I Do That? Psychological Defense Mechanisms and the Hidden Ways They Shape Our Livesby Joseph Burgo here 
 
Find a black birth worker near you at www.systemmidwife.com
 
Learn more about: 

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Want to get involved at EBB? 

  • Check out our Professional Membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB__Evidence_on_Anti-Racism_in_Health_Care_and_Birth_Work.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, we talk with Gina and Roxanne, the sister duo behind Mamastefit about how fitness can keep you comfortable and pain-free during pregnancy and birth.
 
Gina Conley and Roxanne Albert are the sister duo of MamasteFit. Together they offer childbirth education, specializing in labor and pelvic biomechanics and pre and postnatal fitness programming. Located in Aberdeen, North Carolina, you can train with them in person or you learn from them all over the world with their Instagram account and online classes. Additionally, Gina, has her master's in exercise science, runs the MamasteFit in-person perinatal fitness training facility and she discusses how she supports families as a birth doula. Roxanne, is a labor and delivery nurse, recently serving as a birth assistant in a freestanding birth center and tells us how being a student midwife influences her understanding of the body in birth.
 
Today, we talk with Gina and Roxanne about their own experiences being pregnant and how it inspired the creation of Mamaste Fit. They explain how an understanding of one's body during pregnancy and birth can impact the birth experience. We talk about fitness and how movement and pelvic biomechanics can minimalize pregnancy-related discomfort and prepare your body for labor.  
 
Check out the resources below to follow along and learn more!

Resources:
Find MamasteFit on social media:

For more information about their courses and offerings, check out their website here

Listen to EBB Episode

EBB 256 - Top 3 Recommendations for Preventing Pelvic Floor Dysfunction after Birth with Dr. Sarah Duvall, Found of Core Exercise Solutions here

EBB 155 - Pelvic Floor Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum with Dr. Juan Michelle Martin here

EBB 196 - Pelvic Biomechanics and movement in Labor with Brittany Sharpe McCollum here 

EBB 224 - Failure to Progress or Failure to Wait with Ihotu Ali, Erin Wilson, and Rebecca Dekker here 

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

 

Direct download: 2023-02-23_EBB_264_Gina_and_Roxane_of_Mamaste_Fit.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with Sabia Wade about her new book, Birthing Liberation: How Reproductive Justice Can Set Us Free.
 
Sabia Wade (she/ they) is the founder of Birthing Advocacy Doula Trainings, an accessible and inclusive training program for community care workers, and the founder of For the Village, a nonprofit providing doulas at no or low cost to low-income and marginalized communities in San Diego, California, as a coach, board member, investor, educator, and programming development consultant for organizations throughout the birth and reproductive health space. Every part of Sabia's work centers on liberation of all people through Reproductive Justice.
 
Sabia talks with us about the process of writing a book for birth workers about Reproductive Justice and how we can create the future we want for all birth people. Sabia introduces us to the ideas of Birth Neoterism and Black Luxury. Through these key concepts, Sabia shares how we can learn from our history, find hope in our present and recreate the future of birth in America. Sabia’s hope for the readers of their book, is that they are able to engage on their own journey in interacting with the book and connecting through the storytelling and working through the somatic exercises to work through trauma and towards healing. In those spaces of healing and caring for ourselves can we begin the process of collective liberation.
                                                                                                                                      
Resources:
  • Find Sabia’s book Birthing Liberation: How Reproductive Justice Can Set Us Free here
  • Follow Sabia’s work here 
  • Follow Sabia on Instagram here
  • Sign up for The Birth Neoterist Newsletter here 
  • Listen to EBB’s previous interview with Sabia, EBB 124 - Health Disparities, Advocacy and the Coronavirus with Sabia Wade here
  • Listen to EBB 251 - Nasmeea McElroy, Founder of Financially Intentional, Shares her Courageous Story of Speaking up as a Labor and Delivery Nurse
  • Find the book, Transformed by Birth by Brita Buchnell here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_263__Sabia_Wade__FEB_22-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with Emily Chandler and Taylor Washburn, EBB Childbirth Class graduates about their experiences in the childbirth class; their informed and empowered hospital birth; and how they navigated an extended hospital stay for newborn jaundice.
 
Emily, is a marine scientist, and Taylor, is a teacher and rowing coach in the Boston area. Together, they love hiking, biking, rowing, and taking advantage of the great outdoors. And they're also very busy taking care of their baby. While pregnant, Emily dove headfirst into learning about pregnancy, birth, and the state of maternity care in the United States. Emily and Taylor took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB instructor Chanté Perryman.
 
Emily and Taylor share their experiences in the EBB Childbirth Class and how that informed many of the decisions they made regarding their birth plan, including Taylor being both inspired and empowered to “catch” their baby. They also share how they used the advocacy skills learned in class to better communicate with their providers and each other. After experiencing the birth they desired, complications arose when Emily experienced difficulty breastfeeding and inadequate lactation support. Difficulty was further exasperated when their newborn was diagnosed with jaundice leading to an extended hospital stay.

Content Warnings: extended hospital stay due to newborn jaundice, “yellow baby,” difficulty breastfeeding, syringe feeding, lack of lactation support poor latch, heel pricks and bilirubin testing, treatment for elevated bilirubin, poor outcomes for Black and Brown infants with jaundice

Resources:
Access the CDC article on Jaundcie here

Access the Evidence Based Birth® Signautre Articles on: 

  • The Evidence on Premature Rupture of Membranes here 
  • The Evidence on Group B Strep here 
  • The Evidence on Pitocin® in the Third Stage here

Listen to EBB 145- Fatherhood and Advocacy in Birth with JacMichael Perryman here

Listen to EBB 244 - Evidence on AROM, AVD and Internal Monitoring here 

Learn more about Chanté Perryman's EBB Childbirth Class and services here or on her Instagram account @babydreamsmc

Learn more about The Nest Collaborative for lacation support here

References: 

Here are the scientific references on jaundice for the blog article:
·      Dunn, P. M. (2003). Dr Erasmus Darwin (1731–1802) of Lichfield and placental respiration. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed;88:F346– 8.
·      Katheria, A. C., Lakshminrusimha, S., Rabe, H., et al. (2017). Placental transfusion: a review. Journal of Perinatology; 37:105-111.
·      McDonald, S. J., Middleton, P., Dowswell, T., et al. (2013). Effect of timing of umbilical cord clamping of term infants on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD004074
·      Ashish, K. C., Rana, N., Malqvist, M., et al. (2017). Effects of Delayed Umbilical Cord Clamping vs. Early Clamping on Anemia in Infants at 8 and 12 months: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr;171(3):264-270.
·      Mercer, J. S., Erickson-Owens, D. A., Deoni, S. C. L., et al. (2018). Effects of Delayed Cord Clamping on Four-Month Ferritin Levels, Brain Myselin Content, and Neurodevelopment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
·      Andersson, O., Lindquist, B., Lindgren, M., et al. (2015). Effect of delayed cord clamping on neurodevelopment at 4 years of age: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr;169:631–8.
·      CDC article on Jaundice: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/jaundice/facts.html
 

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.




 

Direct download: EBB_262__Emily_Chandler_-_JAN_16-23.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this bonus episode, we wrap up our 2-part series on Group B Strep in Pregnancy, where I answer some of your questions following the first two episodes.

Here are the questions answered in this bonus episode:

  1. Is it possible to retest between an initial GBS swab and going into labor? Are there things that can be done to get a negative test before labor occurs?
  2. If you are GBS positive in one pregnancy, are you likely to be positive in subsequent pregnancies?
  3. Discussion about an important limitation to one of the studies in our GBS update.
  4. Discussion about risk factors and the “Other Risk Factor” approach vs the Universal Screening approach
  5. Is there evidence for screening for GBS twice in the same pregnancy?

Make sure you listen to Part 1 and Part 2  to review the updated GBS research.

Resources:

  • Listen to EBB 254: Group B Strep in Pregnancy Part 1 here
  • Listen to EBB 257: Group B Strep in Pregnancy Part 2 here
  • Listen EBB 87: Cristen Pascucci on How to Disagree on Birth Topics Respectfully! here
  • Learn more about the use of antibiotics in labor in our Pocket Guide to Labor Interventions 

References:

  • Parente V, Clark RH, Ku L, Fennell C, Johnson M, Morris E, Romaine A, Utin U, Benjamin DK, Messina JA, Smith PB, Greenberg RG. Risk factors for group B streptococcal disease in neonates of mothers with negative antenatal testing. J Perinatol. 2017 Feb;37(2):157-161. doi: 10.1038/jp.2016.201. Epub 2016 Nov 17. PMID: 27853322; PMCID: PMC5280520.
  • Kabiri D, Hants Y, Yarkoni TR, Shaulof E, Friedman SE, Paltiel O, Nir-Paz R, Aljamal WE, Ezra Y. Antepartum Membrane Stripping in GBS Carriers, Is It Safe? (The STRIP-G Study). PLoS One. 2015 Dec 31;10(12):e0145905. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145905. PMID: 26719985; PMCID: PMC4697801.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_261_-_new_Mini_Q__A_on_Group_B_Strep.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, we’re going to talk with Ms. Divine Bailey-Nicholas, midwife apprentice, doula, certified lactation counselor, and master herbalist about her career in birth work, advocacy and plant medicine in Louisiana. We learn how she utilizes a community model of care that brings resources and education to combat maternal health deserts in the Deep South of the US.
 
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Ms. Divine is proud of her Delta, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia roots. Her cultural foundation breathes through her plant medicine and birth work. Currently, Ms. Divine is a charter member of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, Louisiana chapter, where her role is historian. She’s a member of the Healthy St. Landry Steering Committee and member of the Community Partners Advisory Sub-Community for the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Divine is also the founder and executive director of Community Birth Companion, a nonprofit organization working to decrease infant and maternal mortality rates through childbirth education, breastfeeding support, and community doula support in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, where she resides with her husband and four children.
 
Ms. Divine shares the reality of maternity care in the Southern US, including high rates of morbidity, mortality, and poor infant outcomes, especially among Black women. Ms. Divine shares how she has been inspired by the work of Grand Midwife Shafia Monroe to become a resource to her community and is working to improve birth outcomes and combat maternal health deserts through her perinatal safe space, the Community Birth Companion. Through a community model of care, Ms. Divine is providing education and empowerment to the families she serves. Additionally, Ms. Divine shares insight into her work as a Master Herbalist and teaches courses to support families in pregnancy and postpartum.
 
Content warning: maternal mortality, maternal morbidity, maternal care deserts, health care inequalities, racism 
Resources
Follow Ms. Divine’s work on her social media channels:

Learn about Ms. Divine’s services or sign up for Ms. Divine’s courses on plant medicine on her website here

Learn more about Ms. Divine’s work with Community Birth Companion on their website here 
 
Follow the Community Birth Compnaion on social media: 
Additional Resources:
  • Listen to EBB 152 – Shafia Monroe on Traditional Black Midwifery, Spirituality, and Community Advocacy here
  • Learn more about Safia Monroe on her webite and follow her work on Instagram 
  • Listen to EBB 56 – Listening to Black Midwives: Ms. Charlotte Shilo-Goudeau here
  • Listen to EBB 156 – Nicole Deggins of Sista Midwife Productions on Navigating Systemic Racism in Birth Work here
  • Read Kelena Reid Maxwell’s  Dissertation Birth Behind the Veil: African American Midwives and Mothers in the Rural South here
  • Find the Black Birthing Bill of Rights here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

 

Direct download: EBB_260_Ms_Divine_Bailey_with_intro.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this episode, we're going to talk with Ruth Greene, birth doula, Evidence Based Birth®️® Pro Member, and Co-owner of Having a Baby in China Consulting Services, about the challenges of giving birth in a foreign country and how pregnancy and childbirth can unite us despite our unique cultural & lived experiences.
 
After the birth of her second baby in a local hospital in China, Ruth began volunteering to support other foreigners as they struggled to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system. Ruth's passion drove her to seek formal training as a doula and childbirth educator. In May 2022, Ruth partnered with the creators of havingababyinchina.com to open an official Chinese company that offers breastfeeding, doula, and consulting services. Ruth’s clients hail from every corner of the earth, from South Africa to Brazil, to England, to Iran, and, of course, China. No matter the cultural or personal background, Ruth considers it an absolute privilege to be invited into the sacred space of pregnancy and birth.
 
Ruth shares her own experiences giving birth in China and how she came to find herself immersed in birth work and making a career of helping similar families navigate the process themselves. Ruth highlights the many differences and unique cultural traditions around having a baby in China, like the Zuo Yue Zi, or the “sitting month.” Despite the differences, Ruth has found that experiences of pregnancy and birth unite us all.
 
Resources:

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_259_-_EditedPro_Guest_Ruth_Greene_Pro_Member_Challenge_Winner.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with Samantha Reisz, EBB Childbirth Class graduate about her experiences taking the class and preparing for a waterbirth in a hospital with her “Golden Ticket” birth team, who were skilled and prepared to manage a placental cord avulsion also known as cord snapping.
 
Samantha Reisz, she/her, is a Scholarly Assistant Professor of Human Development at Washington State University in Vancouver, Washington, just outside of the Portland, Oregon area. She completed her bachelor's in Psychology and master's in Infant Mental Health from Mills College in Oakland, California when she first began studying childbirth. Samantha then earned her PhD in Human Development and Family Sciences from the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied infant parent relationships and the transition to parenthood. Samantha is a passionate scholar and educator. After years of studying these topics academically, she finally was able to live her own research with the birth of her first child. Samantha lives in Vancouver, Washington with her baby, partner, and two dogs. 
 
Samantha shares how she prepared to give birth for the first time with the use of a doula who recommended the EBB Childbirth Course. Samantha and her partner planned for a waterbirth in a hospital with an OBGYN attending the birth. After experiencing the beautiful waterbirth she had desired, complications arose in the 3rd stage with a placental cord avulsion. Her “Golden Ticket Birth Team” was skilled and prepared to support her through this experience.

Content & Trigger warning: complications in the third stage of labor, active management of the third phase, umbilical cord snapping or avulsion, excessive blood loss

Resources:

  • Find out more about Samantha’s work and research here.
  • Find out about Scarlett Lynsky’s EBB Childbirth Education class here and listen to her EBB Podcast interview here.
  • Read the EBB Sigature Article on The Evidence on Waterbirth here
  • Read the EBB Signature Article on Eating & Drinking here
  • Listen to the EBB Natural Induction series here
  • Find out more about the Evidence on Nitrous Oxide in EBB Episode 15 here

Listen to all the EBB Podcast Episodes on Waterbirth and Cord Avulsion: 

  • Find EBB 4 – Waterbirth and the Newborn Microbiome here
  • Find EBB 11 – Evidence on: Waterbirth here 
  • Find EBB 202 - A Fast First Time Birth Expereince with Childbirth Class Graduate, Haley Grachico here 
  • Find EBB 223 – An Empowering Hospital Water Birth Story with Samantha Parker and Justin Fontaine here 
  • Find EBB 230 – An Inspirational Home Waterbirth Story with EBB Childbirth Class Parent Shelitha Owens here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

References:
 
Bovbjerg, M.L., Cheyney, M., Caughey, A. B. (2022). “Maternal and neonatal outcomes following waterbirth: a cohort study of 17,530 waterbirths and 17,530 propensity score-matched land births.” BJOG 129 (6): 950-958. Access the article here 
 
 Burns, E. E., Boulton, M.G., Cluett, E., et al. (2012). “Characteristics, interventions, and outcomes of women who used a birthing pool: a prospective observational study.” Birth 39(3): 192-202. Access the article here 
 
 Schafer, R. (2014). “Umbilical cord avulsion in waterbirth.” J Midwifery Womens Health 59(1): 91-94. Access the article here 
 
 Sidebottom, A.C., Vacquier, M., Simon, K., et al. (2020). “Maternal and neonatal outcomes in hospital-based deliveries with water immersion.” Obstet GYnecol 136(4): 707-715. Access the article here 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_258__Samantha_Reisz_-_DEC_20-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, we continue to bring you the Updated Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy. This is Part 2 of a 2-part series, where we talk about the evidence on alternative treatments for GBS and answer some of your FAQs about this hot topic.
 
In Part 2, we’ll be talking about:
  • The “Other Risk Factor approach,”
  • Alternatives to antibiotics for GBS, including Chlorhexidine and garlic,
  • Vaccines,
  • Probiotics,
  • Topical use of human milk,
  • Address frequently asked questions
  • Review the Guidelines from 3 countries
We wrap up with the Bottom Line on the Updated Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy.
 
Content Warning: GBS-related stillbirth, infant death, critical illness of newborns, vaccines, antibiotics, and racial disparities in GBS positive results and GBS disease in newborns.
 
References and Resources:

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_257_-_Evidence_on_Group_B_Strep_Part_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

On today’s podcast, we’re going to talk with physical therapist and founder of Core Exercise Solutions, Dr. Sarah Duvall (she/her) about connecting with your pelvic floor and preventing dysfunction after birth. 
 
Dr. Sarah Duvall, CPT is the founder of Core Exercise Solutions, a center for continuing education and online programs focusing on the pelvic floor. She uses her platform to share her passion for empowering individuals to connect with their bodies in pregnancy and heal holistically after birth. 

When she's not hanging off the side of a mountain, Sarah is also a wife, mom, and adventure sports athlete who enjoys writing and presenting through her social media platforms and figuring out how her clients can continue to pursue their dreams and lead strong adventurous lives.
 
In this episode, we talk about the importance of pelvic floor physical therapy. Sarah walks us through several pelvic floor exercises to help us understand how to connect with our bodies and understand what types of dysfunction might impact our daily lives. Additionally, Sarah educates us on the importance of connecting with and caring for our bodies after a Cesarean birth.

Trigger warning: pelvic organ prolapse, Cesareans, incontinence, use of gendered language.

Resources:

  • Learn more about Sarah's work here
  • Follow Sarah's work on Instagram here  
  • Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class
Direct download: EBB_256__Sarah_Duvall_-_DIC_05-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In today's podcast, we talk with Laurisa Paul, a Registered Nurse, EBB Pro Member and founder of Girls Who Know® about her journey towards teaching girls what they need to know and respect about their bodies.
 
Laurisa was the winner of our EBB Pro Member September Circle Community challenge, where she won the opportunity to have her work featured on the podcast. I am excited to share my conversation with Laurisa where she talks about her passion for helping others love themselves fully and feel their inherent worth and power.

Laurisa resides in Texas where she is a mother of five and an outdoor adventurer. Medically trained, Laurisa stumbled across home birth when she was actively seeking to improve her own birth experiences and since then she has worked as a midwife assistant.
 
Laurisa is a mother of five, a writer, a Registered Nurse, home-birther and midwife advocate. She has a deep passion for diversity and a profound respect for people and their story. She is a lover of outdoor adventure and dreams of being a world traveler and story catcher. 
 
In this episode, she discusses her own journey to motherhood and the experiences from her five births, ranging from high intervention births in a hospital to unmedicated and low intervention homebirths. Each experience shaped who she has become as a mother and as a nurse catapulting Laurisa into her passion of working with the next generation and educating high school students about the physiology of birth, not just how to prevent pregnancy. Laurisa is the founder of the organization Girls Who Know, which inspires girls to love who they are and to know and respect their bodies. Girls Who Know prepares girls with what they need to know to make courageous, informed decisions for their lives.
 
Content Warning: use of forceps & vacuum, episiotomy, forced to push on back, obstetric violence, trauma, suffering, postpartum hemorrhage, gendered language, discussion of a fatal motor vehicle crash

Resources: 

Check out Laurisa's organization Girls Who Know® here 
Follow Laurisa on social media via Instagram here and her Facebook here 

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_255__Laurisa_Paul_-_DEC_20-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode, we bring you the Evidence on Group B Strep in Pregnancy, in anticipation of the research update to the Signature Article on Group B Strep in Pregnancy.
 
This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. In today’s Part 1, we’ll be talking about:

  1. The evidence on GBS during pregnancy
  2. The evidence on testing for GBS
  3. The evidence on antibiotics, including the pros and cons of giving antibiotics during labor for GBS.

Content Warning: GBS-related stillbirth, infant death, critical illness of newborns, antibiotics, disparities, access to health care.

References and Resources: 

  • For a full list of scientific references, see the blog post that goes along with this episode here.
  • Find the CDC GBS Prevention App for Obstetric Providers here 
  • Find the ACOG GBS Prevention Guidelines here 
  • Listen EBB 87: Cristen Pascucci on How to Disagree on Birth Topics Respectfully! here
  • Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!
  • For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class
Direct download: EBB_254_-_Evidence_Topic_Group_B_Strep_Part_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class graduate, Leah Bergman about her experiences navigating a recommended 38-week induction due to a diagnosis of Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

Leah Bergman is a new mom and has recently made the decision to leave her full-time job as a church musician to be able to dedicate more time to her family and raising her daughter. When she's not involved in music or busy with the baby, Leah enjoys cooking, knitting, coloring, sewing, and going on walks with her husband, Gunnar, and dog, Winnie.

In this episode Leah shares how she was inspired by a friend to read Babies are Not Pizzas and on the recommendation of her midwife found the EBB Childbirth Class. Leah and her husband were planning for birth with as few interventions as possible, until an ultrasound showed signs of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). In collaboration with their midwifery team, they pivoted their plans and began to prepare for an induction at 38-weeks. Leah walks us through the difficulties in trying to make informed, evidence-based decisions about pregnancy and how they opted to induce at 38-weeks. Additionally, Leah shares her long two-part induction story and insights into how she was able to use the EBB Childbirth Education to advocate for herself during her induction and after delivery. Despite not having the birth she was originally planning, Leah reminds us that with education and preparation, you can achieve the positive and empowering birth you want, even if it isn’t what you originally expected.

Content Warning:
intrauterine growth restriction or fetal growth restriction, risk of stillbirth associated with IUGR, medical interventions to induce labor, labor induction, pregnancy complications, high risk pregnancy, frequent ultrasound and NST testing, mention of risk of Cesarean birth, mention of the risk factors for IUGR: placental insufficiently, genetic and congenital problems in pregnancy, anti-phospholipid antibodies, baby born small for gestational age

Resouces:

Find out more about Anna Sutkowski’s doula practice and EBB Childbirth classes here.
Find out more about Rebecca’s book, Babies are Not Pizzas here.

Intrauterine Growth Restrictions:
Listen to Dr. Nicole Rankin’s podcast in IUGR here.

Access a Medscape article on Fetal Growth Restriction (requires a free account) here.

UpToDate article on Fetal Growth Restriction (requires a paid account) here

Inductions:
Listen to the EBB Podcast Episode 153: The Pros and Cons of the Foley and Dilapan-S for Cervical Ripening During an Induction here.

Listen to the EBB Podcast Episode 222: Navigating Induction and Pregnancy at 35+ with EBB Instructor and Birth Fusion Founder, Jennifer Anderson here.

Obtain a copy of EBB Pocket Guide to Labor Inductions here.

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_253_-_Leah_Bergman_CBE_Parent_Graduatenew.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

In this episode we talk with EBB Instructor Leslie Greene, about doula advocacy and empowering families through the EBB Childbirth education class.
 
Leslie Greene, pronouns, she/her, is a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, baby wearing consultant and Evidence Based Birth Instructor and founder of Peridot Births. Leslie's work reflects her passion for birth justice, and she has a special interest in supporting Black and brown birthing families and members of the LBGTQIA+ community. Leslie is also the mom of a rising first grader and loves to spend her time with her adopted Shih Tzu and tabby kitten when not working.
 
We talk about the importance of doula advocacy. Leslie talks about her personal journey to becoming a childbirth educator and a doula, as a form of activism to address the Black maternal health crisis in American. She describes how to step into the birthing space as a collaborative advocate to center the parent's experience for their birth. 
 
Content Warning: discussion of the murder of George Floyd, maternal mortality for African Americans, Black maternal health crisis, systemic racism, politics, obstetric violence, racism, forced cervical exams, perineal massage with baby shampoo, poverty, substance use, teen pregnancy, lack of prenatal care, colonization, slavery, and the COVID-19 pandemic

Resources:

Listen to EBB 218 – The Evidence on Perineal Massage during Labor with Dr. Rebecca Dekker here
 
Check out and follow all of Leslie’s work:
o   Leslie’s Evidence Based Childbirth Education site can be found here
o   Leslie’s Doula Services can be found here
o   Follow Leslie’s work on Instagram here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_252__Leslie_Green_-_NOV_24-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Today, I am excited to share a replay of one of my favorite birth stories featured on the Evidence Based Birth® podcast. EBB childbirth class graduates, Brooklyn and Hoang Pham, share their power and miraculous birth story, which became an instant classic and truly touched my heart.  

As a content warning, we talk about the significantly high rates of maternal mortality among Black and Brown individuals and racism in birth work. 

On today’s podcast, we will be talking with Brooklynn and Hoang Pham. Brooklynn and Hoang currently live in Davis, California, and are the parents to Marvel, who turned seven months last December. Brooklynn is the senior managing director of Teach For America in Sacramento, and Hoang is finishing up his final year of law school at UC Davis School of Law. They took the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class with EBB instructor, Shalin Butterworth, and are here to share their birth story.

We will talk about Brooklynn’s and Hoang’s empowering experience when they attended the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class and how it prepared them to feel ready for their powerful and miraculous birth with their doula and EBB instructor, Shalin. 

Resources: 

Sign up for the EBB Newsletter here. 

Learn more about the EBB Instructor program here and find an instructor or course here

Hoang and Brooklyn's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOBNp5cuEQpBDY3-3Bnl6eQ/
Instagram: @_hoangpham Twitter: @_hoangpham

Birthplace Lab: You can explore the maps at https://www.birthplacelab.org/maps/. There is a How To video with tips on using the interactive maps: https://www.birthplacelab.org/how-to-explore-the-maps/. Visit BirthPlaceLab.org to learn about your state’s score!

Research References:
Balde, M. D., Nasiri, K., Mehrtash, H., et al. (2020). Labour companionship and women's experiences of mistreatment during childbirth: results from a multi-country community-based survey. BMJ Glob Health. 2020 Nov;5(Suppl 2):e003564. Click here.
 
Bohren, M. A., Berger, B. O., Munthe-Kaas, H., et al. (2019). Perceptions and experiences of labour companionship: a qualitative evidence synthesis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD012449. Click here.
 
Bohren, M. A., Hofmeyr, G. J., Sakala, C., et al. (2017). Continuous support for women during childbirth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017 Jul 6;7(7):CD003766. Click here.
 
Vedam, S., Stoll, K., MacDorman, M., et al. (2018). Mapping integration of midwives across the United States: Impact on access, equity, and outcomes. PLoS One. 2018 Feb 21;13(2):e0192523. Click here.

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast we talk with Naseema McElroy, Labor and Delivery nurse and the Founder of Financially Intentional about racism, workplace trauma, and inequities in the US healthcare system. We also discuss how to find your voice and stand up for human rights within the system.
 
Naseema McElroy started as a Labor and Delivery nurse and later became the Founder of Financially Intentional, a personal finance platform normalizing Black wealth. Naseema is the mother of two daughters and loves sharing her passion for financial independence and nursing with her followers on Instagram and through her Financially Intentional Podcast: Nurses on Fire.
 
Naeema discusses her personal experiences in raising concerns about patient safety within a hospital system and how to protect yourself, legally and financially, in the process. She also shares her story regarding her viral Instagram video about the importance of representation in healthcare and the potentially far-reaching consequences when representation is lacking. 

Trigger Warnings: mental health, workplace trauma, obstetric violence, systemic racism, racism and inequities in the US healthcare system, patient safety, Black mortality, Black morbidity

Resources: 

Follow Naseema's Instagram account Financially Intentional here

Learn more about Financially Intentional here

Listen to Naseema's Podcast, Financially Intentional Podcast (formerly Nurses of Fire) here

Go to our YouTube channel to see video versions of the episode listed above!!

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com.

Find us on: 

Ready to get involved? 

  • Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) here 
  • Find an EBB Instructor here 
  • Click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_251__Naseema_McElroy_-_NOV_11-22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

1