Evidence Based Birth®
In today’s episode, we’re revisiting an inspiring birth story featuring Emily Chandler and Taylor Washburn, graduates of the Evidence Based Birth®️® Childbirth Class. They share their journey of navigating an informed and empowered hospital birth experience, along with the challenges they faced during an extended hospital stay for their newborn’s jaundice diagnosis.
 
Emily, a marine scientist, and Taylor, a teacher and rowing coach in the Boston area, enjoy an active lifestyle filled with hiking, biking, and rowing. While preparing for parenthood, Emily immersed herself in learning about pregnancy, birth, and the state of maternity care in the U.S. This journey led them to take the EBB Childbirth Class with instructor Chanté Perryman, where they gained valuable knowledge and advocacy skills.
 
Emily and Taylor share how the EBB Childbirth Class empowered them to make informed decisions about their birth plan—including Taylor’s memorable experience of “catching” their baby. They also highlight the importance of the advocacy skills they learned, which helped them effectively communicate with healthcare providers and navigate unexpected challenges, such as breastfeeding difficulties and securing the right support during their baby’s jaundice treatment.
 
Be sure to listen all the way to the end of the episode for an exciting update from our guests!
 
Content Note: This episode covers topics such as extended hospital stays, breastfeeding challenges, jaundice testing and treatment, and the racial disparities affecting Black and Brown infants with jaundice.

(00:03:15) Doula Guidance During Pregnancy
(00:09:24) Minimal Intervention Birth Plan Worries
(00:17:45) Unexpected Labor Challenges
(00:24:45) Efficient and Caring Nurse's Impact
(00:34:34) Newborn's Breastfeeding and Jaundice Journey
(00:40:03) Newborn Care and Feeding Challenges
(00:43:17) Optimal Umbilical Cord Clamping Timing
(00:47:27) Risk Factors for Infant Jaundice
(00:52:18) Jaundice Warning Signs and Emergency Help
(00:55:57) Home Birth Journey and EBB Impact

Resoures:
  • Get the Evidence Based Birth® Pocket Guide to Newborn Procedures here
  • You can learn more about jaundice here at the Mayo Clinic site, or here at the Cleveland Clinic website.
  • Access the Evidence Based Birth®️ Signature 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
  • Learn more about the Nest Collaborative here
For more information about Evidence Based Birth and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker’s book, “Babies Are Not Pizzas: They’re Born, Not Delivered!” If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.
Direct download: EBB_262_-_Replay.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

Dr. Rebecca Dekker welcomes Dr. Kat Kaeni, a perinatal mental health certified psychologist, author of The Pregnancy Workbook, and host of the Mom & Mind podcast. Dr. Kat shares her personal journey with postpartum depression, anxiety, and OCD, and how it shaped her commitment to supporting parents during the perinatal period. They explore the spectrum of perinatal mental health conditions, from baby blues to postpartum psychosis, and discuss the stigma, barriers to care, and strategies for managing symptoms. Dr. Kat explains the power of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness techniques, and the importance of accessing resources like Postpartum Support International.
 
Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of perinatal mental health disorders, including postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and psychosis. Sensitive topics such as intrusive thoughts, stigma, feelings of guilt and shame, and the potential for harm to self or others are addressed. Listener discretion is advised, and we encourage anyone who may be affected by these topics to reach out for support through Postpartum Support International or a trusted healthcare provider.
 
(00:07:28) Unique Challenges in Perinatal Mental Health
(00:11:05) Caregivers' Mental Health and Bonding Challenges
(00:16:32) Parental Isolation Stemming from Anxiety and Depression
(00:21:53) Emergent Postpartum Psychosis Symptoms
(00:27:08) Overcoming Stigma in Perinatal Mental Health
(00:31:54) Thought and Behavior Change Therapy for Depression
(00:36:56) Perinatal Mental Health Challenges and Support
 

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Direct download: EBB_344_with_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker and Morgan Richardson Cayama, EBB Research Fellow and doctoral candidate in public health, are sharing the top 10 evidence-based strategies for reducing your risk of a Cesarean birth. Drawing from the latest research, including insights from the ARRIVE trial and EBB’s Signature Articles, Rebecca and Morgan discuss actionable methods such as choosing a provider and birth setting with low Cesarean rates, receiving midwifery-led care, using labor support like a doula, staying mobile during labor, and avoiding non-medically indicated interventions. They also talk about the impact of tools like peanut balls, the role of intermittent fetal monitoring, and options for breech pregnancies.
 
(04:38) Provider Attitude Impact on Cesarean Rates
(08:34) Cesarean Risk Reduction Through Midwifery Care
(11:03) Lower-Risk Birth Settings for Cesarean Prevention
(19:34) Reduced Cesarean Risk with 39-Week Induction
(22:21) Optimal Timing for Hospital Admission in Labor
(27:53) Upright Positions and Cesarean Risk in Labor
(33:24) Upright Birthing Positions for Safer Delivery
(34:53) Reducing Cesarean Rates through Intermittent Auscultation
 

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on InstagramYouTube, and TikTok! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Direct download: EBB_343_with_edits_1-7-25.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

In this episode, learn how Dr. Kimarie Bugg’s lifelong dedication to lactation and health equity is transforming lives nationwide. Dr. Bugg is President of Reaching Our Sisters Everywhere (ROSE) and the first African American International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). Dr. Bugg shares her journey into the field of lactation, sparked by personal challenges breastfeeding her first set of twins in the late 1970s. She recounts the evolution of breastfeeding support, her groundbreaking work at Grady Hospital in Atlanta, and the founding of ROSE, a nonprofit addressing breastfeeding inequities in the African American community. Dr. Bugg discusses the systemic barriers to breastfeeding, including workplace challenges, access to lactation support, and the lack of consistent education for healthcare providers. She emphasizes the importance of policy change, workforce development, and healing generational trauma through initiatives like ROSE’s "Breast Friend" and the Reaching Our Brothers Everywhere (ROBE) programs. Tune in for a conversation about the critical role of breastfeeding equity, the unique challenges faced by African American families, and the power of community-driven solutions.
 
(09:34) Empowering Black Nurses in Breastfeeding Support
(8:08) Supporting Breastfeeding in African American Community
(27:08) "Breast Friend Program: Reducing Breastfeeding Disparities"
(28:22) Empowering Communities for Inclusive Breastfeeding Support
(32:46) Reframing Breastfeeding Narratives in African American Community
(34:54) Enhancing Breastfeeding Equity Beyond Hospital Stay
(41:39) Community Transformers: Empowering Maternal Health Support
 
  • Explore ROSE's programs, including Breast Friends, Community Transformers, and more here.
  • Learn about Boston Medical Center's Community and Hospitals Advancing Maternity Practices (CHAMPS), a Baby-Friendly hospital initiative, here.
  • Learn more about the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine here.

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on InstagramYouTube, and TikTok! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Direct download: EBB_342_with_edits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

Happy New Year to all our listeners! Join us in listening to a mini story about how our team got together last fall... and be the first to learn about a major event we're planning for you in 2025!

To get on the waitlist for the upcoming event, visit ebbirth.com/waitlist

Direct download: EBB_Bonus_episode_for_January_2025.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

 
Direct download: EBB_341.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EDT

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