On today's podcast, we're going to talk with team members of Evidence Based Birth®, about a wrap-up of this past year and what our goals are for next year. 

We talk about our favorite team projects for 2021 such as past podcast episodes, our creative growth as a team, and the recent EBB Instructor retreat. We also talk about our future goals for EBB and what we look forward to in the future of Team EBB. 

Content warning: We mention COVID, birth trauma, postpartum, obstetric abuse, and obstetric violence. 

Listen to EBB 175 - Evidence on Midwives here.

Listen to EBB 177 - Dimitri and Mera here.

Listen to EBB 179 - Trish and Mimi Ang here.

Listen to EBB 180 - Trauma-Informed Care and Consent with Feminist Midwife, Stephanie Tillman here.

Listen to EBB 187 - Advocacy for Postpartum Medicaid Extension Coverage with Dr. Monica McLemore and Dr. Jamila K. Taylor here.

Listen to EBB 189 - Why Black Lactation Matters and the Importance of Black Breastfeeding Week with IBCLC, Janiya Mitnaul Williams here.

Listen to EBB 199 - Writing about Racism’s Effects on Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes with EBB Research Associate, Ihotu Ali here.

Listen to EBB 200 - Taking a Stand Against White Supremacy and Creating Solidarity in Birth Work with EBB Founder, Dr. Rebecca Dekker here.

Listen to EBB 201 - Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Human Rights with Perinatal Nurse and Nurse Educator, Paula Richards here.

Listen to EBB 202 - A Fast First-Time Birth Experience with EBB Childbirth Class Graduate, Haley Grachico here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with board certified physician Dr. Stacy De-Lin about the spread of misinformation online about COVID, particularly COVID and pregnancy.  Dr. Stacy De-Lin MD (she/her), is a board certified physician whose specialty and area of practice is gynecology and family planning. Dr. De-Lin is an Associate Medical Director at Planned Parenthood and works to provide access to full-spectrum reproductive healthcare no matter what. In addition to her busy practice, Dr. De-Lin works to combat online misinformation through her Instagram account @stacydelin_md.  We talk about the rise of misinformation online about COVID regarding pregnancy. We also talk about how evidence based research about COVID can assist pregnant people and their families to make informed decisions about their health. 

Content Warning: We mention COVID, COVID-related deaths, abortion, and miscarriage.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Dr. Stacy De-Lin and follow her Instagram here.

Learn more about Planned Parenthood here. 

Learn more about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) here. 

Learn more about the American Academy of Pediatrics here.

Learn more about EBB COVID resource page here.

Learn more about the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast we talk with Haley Grachico about her intense, fast birth experience at a freestanding birth center.

Haley and her husband, Dr. Ismael, are graduates of the EBB Childbirth Class. Iz completed his general surgery residency at Oregon Health and Science University just 13 days before their daughter Josefine's arrival. A week after Josefine was born, the Grachico family moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where Is joined a private practice general surgery group. Haley is enjoying time with Josefine and their two dogs, Duke and Bentley. Haley has since then started a new parents group in town and is exploring options to possibly become a doula and to support families in a different way in their new community.

We talk about Haley and Dr. Iz's experience taking the EBB Childbirth Class, and the importance of them having a doula to help with their different perspectives on birth and medicine. We also talk about Haley’s intense, fast birth and how the influence of her empowering birth support inspired her in wanting to become a future doula to support other families in her community.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about the Oregon parenting group, “The Parent Trip” here. 

Listen to EBB 15 on nitrous oxide here. View our YouTube video on nitrous oxide here. 

Learn more about the third stage of birth from our signature article here. 

Learn more about HypnoBirthing here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast we're going to talk with Paula Richards about advocacy work as a trauma-informed nurse educator. 

Paula Richards (she/her) is a perinatal nurse and nurse educator who likes to nerd out about OB-related nursing professional development on Instagram under the handle @NurseBrownGirl. Paula joined the Evidence Based Birth® Instructor program in the spring of 2020 and she's also a guest teacher in the videos of our Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class where we talk about interventions during childbirth.

We talk about Paula’s journey to become a nurse and her experience of unlearning traumatic childbirth practices that are problematic and harmful for birthing people. We also talk about the gap between evidence, human rights, and actual practice, as well as the need for more ethical nurse education.

Content warning: We will talk about traumatic childbirth and obstetric abuse. This episode also contains strong language, swear words, and how binary language/terminology is routinely used in labor and delivery.

If you'd prefer to read a transcript without swear words you can find that on our blog here.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Paula Richards on Instagram here. 

Learn more about The Business of Being Born here.

Learn more about “Are There Benefits to Uterine Massage in the Third Stage of Labor” here. 

Learn more about the Association of Women's Health Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) here. 

Learn more about “white supremacy culture” by Tema Okun here.

Learn more about Cristen Pascucci and Birth Monopoly here.

Learn more about Mandy Irby of The Birth Nurse here. 

Learn more about Maggie Runyon of Your Birth Partners Podcast here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s episode, we celebrate our 200th episode on the Evidence Based Birth®podcast, where Ihotu Ali, EBB Research Associate, will be talking with our founder, Rebecca Dekker, about solidarity in birth work.

In this episode, Ihotu asks Rebecca about her cultural upbringing, and Rebecca reflects candidly on racism and cultural differences she witnessed as a child growing up in the suburbs of Memphis, Tennessee. We also explore the harmful impacts of white privilege and white supremacy on birth and reproductive justice work, as well as oppressive agendas that harm communities of color and other marginalized communities. 

Ihotu and Rebecca also talk about solutions such as doing inner work, educating yourself, understanding your ancestry, creating solidarity with those from other cultural groups, protecting Black women and girls (vs. being a savior), and being aware of how your actions and words may have harmed people from marginalized groups.

Content warning: We mention racism, white supremacy culture (including aspects of anti-black white supremacy), the uprisings in Minneapolis, the murder of George Floyd, racialized violence against Black communities.

RESOURCES:

Listen to EBB 143 - "Birthing in a World with Reproductive Justice" here.

Listen to EBB 199 - " Writing about Racism's Effects on Pregnancy and Birth Outcomes" here. 

Learn more about “Readings For Diversity And Social Justice” by Maurianne Adams, Warren Blumenfeld, Carmelita Rosie Castaneda, Heather Hackman, Madeline Peters, and Ximena Zuniga here. 

Learn more about Minnesota Healing Justice Network here.

Learn more about the Oshun Center for Intercultural Healing here.

Learn more about Ijeoma Oluo here and “So You Want To Talk About Race” here.

Learn more about Ibram X. Kendi's “So You Want To Be Antiracist” here.

Learn more about Tema Okun’s “Aspects of White Supremacy Culture” here.

Learn more about Dr. Sayida Peprah here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Ihotu Ali, MPH, who is writing about research on the effects of racism on pregnancy and birth outcomes.

Ihotu (“love” in the Idoma language) (she/her) is a prenatal and Maya Abdominal massage therapist with a Master's in Public Health, and a doctoral student in Chiropractic Medicine. Ihotu is the granddaughter of a traditional Nigerian Chief, of Polish-Irish farmers, is a graduate of Columbia University. Ihoutu also conducted maternal health research with the United Nations before becoming a doula in 2011.

Fascinated by the connections between western and traditional medicine, Ihotu spent a decade studying Afro-Indigenous and global cultural practices for childbirth, ancestral, and womb healing, which she is now alongside medical training in chiropractic care and the neuroscience of spirituality and meditation. Ihotu is the co-founder of the Minnesota Healing Justice Network, featured in Rolling Stone Magazine for their focus on rest for residents and healers through the 2020 Uprising. In response to burnout among healers, Ihotu formed the Oshun Center for Intercultural Healing - an interracial collective offering support to apprentices, as well as public courses on decolonizing and democratizing medicine and small business. Ihotu teaches on cultural birth and bodywork, appropriation, racism in health care, allyship, and economic justice tools like the sliding scale fee.

In this podcast episode, we talk about Ihotu’s shift towards researching the effects of racism on pregnancy and birth outcomes.  We also talk about how Ihotu practices self-care as a researcher of heavy topics, and the scope of our upcoming EBB Signature Article which will cover the history of racism and the evidence on racism's effects on preterm births, low birth weight, and perinatal mortality. 

Content Warning: We mention racism, preterm birth, police violence, COVID-19, maternal-infant death, and other adverse health outcomes.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Ihotu Ali here and The Oshun Center here.

Learn more about the Minnesota Healing Justice Network here. Follow the Minnesota Healing Justice Network on Facebook and Instagram. Listen to EBB 143, “Birthing in a World with Reproductive Justice” here. 

Learn more about Ancient Song here. Follow Ancient Song on Instagram and Facebook. 

Learn more about Dr. Rachel Hardeman and the Roots Community Birth Center here. Learn more about Dr. Hardeman’s research here. Read Dr. Hardeman’s Stolen Breaths here. 

Learn more about Dr. Sayida Peprah here. 

Learn more about Black Mamas Matter Alliance here.

Learn more about the Momnibus Act bill here.

Learn more about the Medicaid Postpartum Expansion here. Listen to EBB 187 with Dr. McLemore and Dr. Taylor here.

Learn more about Jennie Joseph here. Learn more about Commonsense Childbirth here. Learn about “The JJ Way: Community-Based Maternity Center Evaluation Report” here. Listen to EBB 136 here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s episode, we're going to take a deep dive into the research evidence on eating and drinking during labor!

In this episode, I talk about the history of anesthesia and food and oral fluids during labor— starting in the 1940s and moving forward to current times. I also talk about Nothing by Mouth (NPO) policies in hospitals, and discuss how researchers have reframed the topic for birthing people today as one of bodily choice. I also talk about whether or not people should be able to eat once they experience medical interventions such as an epidural (because many hospitals around the world still forbid food once you have an epidural!)

Content warning: In this episode, I talk about maternal death and labor complications. 

RESOURCES:

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s episode, we have EBB podcast coordinator, Mystique Hargrove, talking with the co-founders of the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color, Divya Kumar, Jabina Coleman, and Desirée Israel.

Divya Kumar (she/her) is a psychotherapist for And Still We Rise, LLC, and a licensed certified social worker. Ms. Kumar is also a certified lactation counselor and holds a certification in perinatal mental health from Postpartum Support International. Ms. Kumar specializes in perinatal mental health for BIPOC individuals, people who identify as first and, second-generation immigrants, and people who have experienced trauma as they navigate the transition to parenthood. 

Jabina Coleman (she/her) is a “United States Breastfeeding Committee Cultural Change Maker” awardee and a dynamic regional speaker. Jabina is a licensed social worker, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and is the creator of “Everyone Wants to Hold the Baby, Who Will Hold the Mother?” a call to action highlighting the lack of support Black birthing people are receiving before, during, and after pregnancy, as well as to educate birth workers, families, and communities on the importance of advocacy for equitable and safe perinatal health practices.

Desirée Israel (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker, reproductive psychotherapist, herbalist, certified breastfeeding specialist, and trained birth worker specializing in perinatal mental health, reproductive justice, and the Black birthing experience. She is devoted to the liberation of ALL Black families of the Diaspora by using African-centered modalities and rituals to achieve holistic wellness. Additionally, Desirée is a co-founder of the Bloom Collective, a liberation-focused reproductive justice space serving Baltimore City. 

They talk about how they co-created the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color through their experience of seeing the lack of people of color in the perinatal mental health profession. They also talk about emphasizing the needs of communities of color regarding postpartum wellness. 

Content warning: They will talk about postpartum depression, postpartum mental health, perinatal mortality, and morbidity.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about the Perinatal Mental Health Alliance for People of Color (PMHAPOC) here (https://linktr.ee/pmhapoc). Follow PMHAPOC on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pmhapoc/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/pmhapoc). 

Learn more about Divya Kumar here (http://www.divyakumar.org/). Follow Divya on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bothbrownand_). 

Learn more about Jabina Coleman and The Lactation Therapist here (https://www.thelactationtherapist.com/). Follow The Lactation Therapist on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thelactationtherapist). 

Learn more about Desirée Israel and The Bloom Collective here (https://www.motherlandco.com/). Follow The Bloom Collective on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/bloominbaltimore). 

Learn more about Postpartum Support International (PSI) here (https://www.postpartum.net/).  

Learn more about The Ellen Story Commission on Postpartum Depression here (https://www.mass.gov/doc/ellen-story-commission-on-postpartum-depression-presentation-482019-0/download). 

Learn more about National Perinatal Task Force here (https://perinataltaskforce.com/). 

Learn more about Jennie Joseph here (https://jenniejoseph.com/) and here (https://commonsensechildbirth.org/). Listen to Jennie Joseph’s EBB podcast interview here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/solutions-for-the-crisis-in-american-maternity-care-with-jennie-joseph/).  

Learn more about the Patient Healthcare Questionaire-2 (PHQ-2) here (https://www.chpscc.org/_literature_243927/The_Patient_Health_Questionnaire_(PHQ-2)) and here (https://www.apa.org/pi/about/publications/caregivers/practice-settings/assessment/tools/patient-health).  

Learn more about Graeme Seabrook here (https://www.graemeseabrook.com/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Brittany Sharpe McCollum about pelvic biomechanics, movement, and fetal positioning during labor. 

Brittany Sharpe McCollum, CCE(BWI), CD(DONA), CLC (she/her) is the owner of Blossoming Bellies Wholistic Birth Services in the greater Philadelphia PA area, providing childbirth education classes, birth doula services, and dynamic labor support and pelvic biomechanics training workshops for both professionals and expectant parents. Brittany is a sought after guest at many international childbirth related conferences, including a standing room only presentation at the Evidence Based Birth conference in 2019. 

In this episode, we talk about the importance of movement in birth, and the best ways to facilitate fetal positioning within the pelvis. Brittany takes a deep dive into incorporating positions and movement with the use of epidurals, her "5-4-3" rule, why subtle movements can make a big difference during labor, and how understanding pelvic biomechanics is a key to minimizing interventions during birth.

RESOURCES:

• Read the EBB Signature Article on the Evidence on Birthing Positions at https://evidencebasedbirth.com/birthingpositions
• Visit Brittany Sharpe McCollum’s website here: www.blossomingbelliesbirth.com
• Sign up for Brittany’s upcoming Fetal Positioning workshops here
• You can also buy "Baby Got VBAC: An Inspiring Collection of Wisdom for Better Births After a Cesarean" here
• For parents, sign up for Brittany’s free webinar “Practical Pushing: Efficiency and Well-Being in Labor's Second Stage” 
• Follow Brittany on Instagram @blossomingbelliesbirth

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Rose Rankin about grief and healing through pregnancy and infant loss.

Rose Rankin (she/her) is a full spectrum doula from Brooklyn, New York, who lives in Greensboro, North Carolina. Rose focuses her work on parents who are experiencing a loss, have a pregnancy with a child who is incompatible with life, or have a child with a terminal condition. Rose has been on the other side of this work numerous times before and her mission is to provide the care that we sometimes never knew we needed when we are grieving.

We talk about Rose’s personal experience of pregnancy and infant loss, and how it inspired her to become a Pregnancy and Infant Loss (PAIL) doula. We also talk about Rose’s experience as a PAIL doula for her community and how to better support those who have experienced loss during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. 

Content warning: We will mention grief, pregnancy complications, stillborn birth, miscarriage, late-term loss, and infant loss.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Rose Rankin on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/tranquildoulaservices/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

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.

If you'd like to watch a video of this interview, just visit the EBB YouTube channel here! Or visit our webpage for the transcript. 

Resources:

• Read the Evidence Based Birth article on Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes at https://ebbirth.com/diagnosinggdm
• Visit Lily Nichols' website here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com
• Find the books "Real Food for Pregnancy" and "Real Food for Gestational Diabetes" on Amazon or wherever books are sold!
• You can also buy "Real Food for Pregnancy" at Lily's shop here
• Read Lily's article about protein in pregnancy here: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/protein-requirements-pregnancy/
• Read Lily's article about 9 Myths about Gestational Diabetes: https://lilynicholsrdn.com/9-gestational-diabetes-myths/
• Visit the Women's Health Nutritional Academy here: https://whnacademy.com/
• Join Lily's Gestational Diabetes course here: http://realfoodforgd.com/online-course/
• Follow Lily on Instagram @lilynicholsrdn

In this episode I am joined by Anna Bertone (she/her), MPH, a research consultant at Evidence Based Birth®, to discuss the evidence on aromatherapy and essential oils for use during pregnancy, labor/birth, and postpartum. In this episode, we cover:

• What is aromatherapy, where did it come from, and how does it work?
• What have researchers found on essential oils for nausea and vomiting, stress reduction, and immune function during pregnancy?
• Which essential oils have been found to be effective for reducing labor pain and anxiety, encouraging labor progress, and treating post-Cesarean symptoms?
• What does the research say about aromatherapy for use postpartum, including with post-Cesarean symptoms, perineal trauma, sleep, and depression and anxiety?
• Are there any important safety precautions to be aware of, and what is the bottom line?

This episode was inspired by a peer-reviewed article we published in Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, in a special symposium that was edited by Shilpa Babbar, MD, MS, FACOG. Reference: Bertone, A. C., & Dekker, R. L. (September 2021). "Aromatherapy in Obstetrics: A Critical Review of the Literature." Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology 64(3): 572-588.

Here are some other resources we mentioned:

• Access the EBB Pain Management Video Series here https://evidencebasedbirth.com/category-pain-management-series/
• You can find the abstract of our research paper, as well as a complete list of references used in this podcast can be found on PubMed here https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33927109/

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Carissa Hunter about advocacy for families with sickle cell anemia.

After her daughter was born with a blood disorder called sickle cell anemia, Carissa started on a quest for healthy living and is now an intuitive womb worker— a holistic practitioner with many specialties in holistic healthcare. Specializing specifically in intuitive healing, ancestral lineage healing, energy, and sound healing, Carissa also is experienced in medical herbalism, and aromatherapy and she also practices as a stillbirth, birth, and bereavement doula. 

We will talk about Carissa’s personal experience growing up with the sickle cell trait (one copy of the gene), as well as being a parent to a child with sickle cell anemia (two copies of the gene). We also talk about Carissa’s experience with unlearning and relearning many things around sickle cell anemia and her advocacy work to raise awareness about this blood disorder.

Content warning: we mention issues with sickle anemia, traumatic birth experiences, high-risk pregnancy, and pregnancy termination due to genetic conditions.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Carissa Hunter here (https://www.healingjourneyintuitive.com). Follow Carissa on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/healingjourneyintuitively). 

Learn more about the Sickle Cell Foundation of Tallahassee here (https://sicklecellfoundation.org/tag/tallahassee/). 

Learn more about the Sickle Cell Foundation and find a chapter near your here (https://www.sicklecelldisease.org/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we talk to Marnellie Bishop about life as a birth/postpartum doula and childbirth educator and the importance of cultural awareness in birth work.

Marnellie Bishop (she/her) is a certified birth and postpartum doula and childbirth educator. Serving the Portland, Oregon community, Marnellie takes on the role as a board member and director of finance and operations at Community Doula Alliance.

Prior to pursuing her passion to support families in their perinatal journey, Marnellie completed a bachelor's degree in business administration and used her degree to help grow and sell her family's printing company. As a second-generation immigrant to Filipino parents, Marnellie understands the intersectionality that many immigrant families face when it comes to identifying their parenting styles through the lens of their cultural background and today's parenting values.

We will talk about Marnellie’s journey to becoming a birth and postpartum doula after being inspired by personally supporting the birthing needs of her friends. We also talk about the obstacles Marnellie faced and overcame as a birth and postpartum doula while amplifying the importance of respecting cultural traditions and customs when serving immigrant families or families who speak English as a second language in Portland, Oregon. 

Content warning: We mention COVID-19, the murder of George Floyd, systemic oppression, Cesarean, and birthing complications such as late-term loss and preeclampsia.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Marnellie Bishop and Hanau Doula here (https://hanaudoula.com/). Follow Marnellie on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/hanaudoula). 

Learn more about Community Doula Alliance here (https://communitydoulaalliance.com/). Follow Community Doula Alliance on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/communitydoulaalliance) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/communitydoulaalliance/). 

Learn more about Hypnobabies® here (https://www.hypnobabies.com/). 

Learn more about Oregon Health Authority here (https://www.oregon.gov/oha/Pages/index.aspx). 

Learn more about Wall of Moms here (https://www.npr.org/2020/07/28/896174019/what-the-wall-of-moms-protests-say-about-motherhood-race-in-america). 

Learn more about Black Lives Matter here (https://blacklivesmatter.com/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this episode I am joined by Erin Wilson, MPH, a research editor at Evidence Based Birth, to discuss the latest research on Big Babies. In this episode, we cover:

What is considered a "big" baby?

• Can we accurately predict if a baby will be born big?
• Does it really matter if a baby is born big? What are the risks?
• Could suspecting that you're pregnant with a big baby be more harmful than helpful?
• Is early induction beneficial for big babies?

RESOURCES:

You can access all of the references for this podcast, as well as a full-length Signature Article and one-page handout on Big Babies by visiting ebbirth.com/bigbaby. Don't forget that we also have several resources for people who are pregnant with gestational diabetes:

Diagnosing Gestational Diabetes: ebbirth.com/diagnosinggdm
Inducing Labor for Gestational Diabetes: ebbirth.com/inducinggdm

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Janiya Mitnaul Williams, IBCLC, about becoming a lactation consultant and the importance of Black Breastfeeding Week.

Janiya Mitnaul Williams is an international board certified lactation consultant, a registered lactation consultant, and a certified lactation counselor who has been supporting nursing families since 2007. She holds degrees from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and Union Institute & University in Speech, Language Pathology in Audiology, and Health and Wellness with a concentration in Human Lactation.

Janiya is the program director of the Pathway 2 Human Lactation Training Program at North Carolina A&T State University. She also works for the Women's and Children's Center at Cone Health as a perinatal educator researcher, community liaison, and doula services coordinator. In 2015, Janiya created Mahogany Milk Support Group in order to promote, encourage and normalize nursing for Black and Brown families. That same year, Janiya also became the first person of color and non-registered nurse to be hired as a lactation consultant for the hospital system at Cone Health. 

Janiya is very passionate about creating diversity, equity, and inclusion within the field of lactation to promote better health outcomes for Black and Brown marginalized and underprivileged families because they have the greatest lactation barriers to overcome.

We will talk about challenges Janiya experienced during her journey to becoming a lactation consultant. We also talk about cultural barriers in lactation, the importance of Black Breastfeeding Week, and creating her own Pathway 2 Human Lactation Training Program at North Carolina A&T State University.

Content warning: We will discuss the cultural barriers and historical trauma (i.e. slavery) in the field of lactation.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Janiya Mitnaul Williams’ Pathway 2 Human Lactation Training Program at NC A&T State University here (https://www.ncat.edu/caes/departments/family-and-consumer-sciences/lactation-cert.php). Follow Janiya on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/janiyamwilliams). Follow Mahogany Milk on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/mahoganymilk/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mahoganymilk). 

Learn more about NC A&T State University here (https://www.ncat.edu). Follow NC A&T State University on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ncatsuaggies/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ncatsuaggies). 

Learn about Union Institute & University here (https://myunion.edu/). 

Learn about the Mary Rose Tully Training Initiative at UNC-Chapel Hill University here (https://sph.unc.edu/cgbi/lactation-consultant-training/). 

Learn about International Board of Certified Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE) here (https://iblce.org/). 

Learn more about Black Breastfeeding Week here (https://blackbreastfeedingweek.org/). Follow Black Breastfeeding Week on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BlackBreastfeedingWeek), Twitter (https://twitter.com/BlkBfingWeek), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/blkbfingweek/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we are talking with Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class parent, Kathryn Remivasan, about her experience giving birth to a posterior-positioned baby. Kathryn and her husband, Dushyant, are graduates of the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class with EBB Instructor and doula, Julie Fors. Dushyant and Kathryn are software engineers. They live in Chicago with their two cats, dog, and now beautiful baby girl, Elakshi, who Kathryn gave birth to in January 2021. We talk about Kathryn’s use of a “marathon training” mindset to have an unmedicated birth during the pandemic. We also talk about Kathryn’s experience of including medical interventions during her birth, as well as how she coped with postpartum recovery after a long labor.

Content warning: We talk about COVID, infant/labor trauma, the use of medical interventions while in labor, and postpartum anxiety/recovery.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Julie Fors here (https://journeyforwardbirthandparenting.com/). 

Learn more about Rush University Medical Center here (https://www.rush.edu/). 

Learn more about Spinning Babies here (https://www.spinningbabies.com/).  

Listen to EBB 101 episode with Spinning Babies found, Gail Tully here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-101-gail-tully-of-spinning-babies%ef%b8%8f/). 

Listen to EBB 165 episode with Ann Marie Gilligan here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/fetal-position-during-labor-with-ld-nurse-ann-marie-gilligan/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we have the pleasure to talk with our honored guests, Dr. Monica McLemore and Dr. Jamila K. Taylor, about postpartum justice and the need for Medicaid coverage for the entire postpartum year. Dr. Monica McLemore is a tenured associate professor at the University of California-San Francisco in the family healthcare nursing department, an affiliated scientist with advancing new standards in reproductive health, and a member of the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health. She retired from clinical practice as a public health and staff nurse after a 28-year clinical nursing career in 2019. Dr. McLemore's program of research is focused on understanding reproductive health injustice.

Dr. Jamila K. Taylor is a director of health care reform and senior fellow at The Century Foundation, where she leads TCF's work to build on the Affordable Care Act and develop the next generation of health reform to achieve high quality, affordable and universal coverage in America. Dr. Taylor also works on issues related to reproductive rights and justice, focusing on the structural barriers to healthcare access, racial and gender disparities in health outcomes, and the intersections between healthcare and economic justice.

We talk about their collaborative work with additional authors for the article, “We Must Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage,” which discusses the importance of extending Medicaid coverage for postpartum individuals. We also talk about the implications for the disruption of postpartum Medicaid coverage 60 days after giving birth and the importance of creating holistic, community-based care in perinatal and postpartum support.

Content warning: We will talk about postpartum, perinatal/postpartum mortality, mental health, substance use disorders, health challenges, and COVID-19.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Dr. McLemore here (https://profiles.ucsf.edu/monica.mclemore). Follow Dr. McLemore on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/mclemoremr) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mclemoremr).

Learn more about Dr. Taylor here (https://tcf.org/experts/jamila-taylor/). Follow Dr. Taylor on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/drtaylor09). 

Learn more about the article, “We Must Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage,” here (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-must-extend-postpartum-medicaid-coverage/). 

Learn more about Scientific American here (https://www.scientificamerican.com/).

Learn more about The Century Foundation here (https://tcf.org/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with EBB Childbirth Class parent, Angela Jones, about having an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth when labeled as high risk.

Angela is a macro-level social worker, wife to her husband, Tony, and mom to her son, Alistair, and their cats, Pumpernickel and Lion-O. Angela and Tony graduated from the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB instructor, Victoria Michonski. Both Victoria and Heather McCullough, who is also an EBB instructor, were Angela and Tony’s doulas for Alistair’s birth. 

We talk about Angela’s birth story and her experience having an easy, uncomplicated pregnancy and birth despite being labeled as high risk for multiple reasons. We also talk about data birth outcomes for people who have multiple high-risk labels.

Content Warning: We talk about ectopic pregnancy, pregnancy losses, high-risk pregnancy complications, and perinatal morbidity. 

Resources:

Learn more about EBB Instructor, Victoria Michonski, here (http://www.vdoula.com/). Follow Victoria on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/312doulas/). 

Learn more about EBB Instructor, Heather McCullough, here (https://www.hmbirth.com/). Follow Heather on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/hmbirth). Follow Heather on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/hmbirth/). Follow Heather on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/hmbirth). 

Sheen, J. J., Wright, J. D., Goffman, D., et al. (2018). Maternal age and risk for adverse outcomes. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Oct;219(4):390.e1-390.e15. Click here.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we will be talking with Tyler Jean Dukes, my doctoral fellow intern.  Tyler (she/her) is a doctoral candidate and graduate instructor at Texas Christian University. Over this past year, Tyler has been working with me as part of a graduate fellowship program. Tyler specializes in the medical humanities and early British literature. She is also a trained childbirth doula, which informs her scholarly and personal interests. Tyler teaches many classes at TCU, including “Introduction to Literature, Fiction, and Narrative Medicine,” and she is one year away from graduating with her Ph.D.

We talk about her research with integrating childbirth and birth work into her doctoral studies in literature. We also talk about what Tyler discovered about the history of prenatal ultrasounds and pelvic exams.

I encourage everyone to listen to EBB 174 with The Black OBGYN Project and EBB 180 with Stephanie Tillman, who is an expert on trauma-informed pelvic care. 

Content warning: We talk about the history of obstetric abuse and trauma, as well as emotional and physical trauma.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Tyler by following her on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/birthandbooks).

Learn more about DFW Narrative Medicine here (https://dfwnarrativemedicine.com/). 

Learn more aboutAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) here (https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/ultrasound-exams).

Learn more about Listening to Mother's (LTM) here (https://www.nationalpartnership.org/our-work/health/maternity/listening-to-mothers.html).

Learn more about World Health Organization (WHO) here (https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/259946/WHO-RHR-18.01-eng.pdf;jsessionid=6D347E8AC8A769FE8E922B68675407BA?sequence=1).

Learn more about Ultrasound Industry Reports here (https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001451.pub4/full).

Learn more about Value Penguin here (https://www.valuepenguin.com/cost-sonogram-ultrasound-pregnancy).

Learn more about Fortune Business Insights here (https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/ultrasound-equipment-market-100515).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we talk about how to evaluate clinical research and how it is actually carried out. We are currently in the midst of a free 30-day trial of the EBB Pro Membership, and this podcast episode is a sample part of a class series inside the membership! Have you ever wondered how research is carried out, and why certain things are studied... but why other aspects of birth and midwifery care are not? Do you know how many billions of dollars are spent in the U.S. research industry each year, and what that money is spent on?

In this podcast, Dr. Dekker will walk you through the timeline of how research is carried out, who decides what research gets funded, and why so much research has come from a racist and patriarchal lens. You'll also learn about the importance of one of the newest fields of science called "clinical and translational research."

Content Warning: We will be talking about racism and sexism in research, and how this has led to an increase in heart disease deaths among women. And I share a personal story related to heart disease and mortality.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about our Pro Membership here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). 

Learn more about biomedical translation here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnHLo-hCssg).  

Learn more about the NIH Reporter here (https://reporter.nih.gov/). 

Learn more about Eunice Kennedy Shriver NIH here (https://www.nichd.nih.gov/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Mary Kathryn DeLodder about licensing certified professional midwives in Kentucky.  Mary Kathryn DeLodder (she/her) is a consumer advocate and leader of the Kentucky Birth Coalition. From 2012 through 2019 she worked on efforts to license certified professional midwives in Kentucky. She is now working on legislation to improve access to birth centers in Kentucky. 

We will talk about how Mary Kathryn first became interested in helping pass the midwifery licensure bill in Kentucky and the beginnings of forming the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition. We will also talk about the challenges that were against legalizing certified professional midwives to practice in Kentucky and the wave of collective support that helped to push the bill to get passed. 

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Mary Kathyrn DeLodder and the Kentucky Birth Coalition here (https://www.kentuckybirth.org). Follow the Kentucky Birth Coalition on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/KentuckyBirthCoalition/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kybirthcoalition/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we have an exciting takeover in celebration of Pride Month. We have Mystique Hargrove, Kortney Lapeyrolerie, and Nadine Ashby to talk about their experiences as Black queer and trans birth workers.

Mystique (She/They) is the radical femme CEO, and creator of "The Black Birth Healer." Mystique is a holistic birth and postpartum wellness specialist who is certified as a full spectrum doula, a lactation educator, a childbirth educator, and a Diaspora death doula. Mystique is a Pathway 3 IBCLC mentee, and an Evidence Based Birth Instructor®. Currently, Mystique is a Ph.D. student with a research focus on inclusive services and advocacy in perinatal mental health for Black LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Kortney (She/They) is a queer Black healing justice activist, birth worker, conflict mediator, and content creator. She is the founder and organizer of the Queer Doula Network, which maintains a digital LGBTQIA+ birth work and birth work-adjacent directory, provides workshops, and holds community spaces for LGBTQIA+ birth workers to find support. Kortney has worked with the Black Health (formerly the National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS) and the Latino Commission on AIDS, providing capacity building around communications and sexual and reproductive health. 

Nadine (They/Them) is a queer trans birth doula and doula educator. Nadine’s work is built on a foundation of social justice and equity. Nadine’s birth work journey started with their mother taking them to the births of family members and friends. Nadine leaned into the incredible transformative power that birthing people unearthed at each birth they attended. This reverence led Nadine to earn a degree in Biology with the intention of becoming a nurse-midwife.

They talk about what Pride Month means to them as Black queer and trans birth workers and their past experiences which lead them to their roles to advocate for birth and reproductive rights of queer and trans bodies of color. They also talk about the challenges they face in their communities as Black queer and trans birth workers and the hopeful futures they envision for their communities. 

**Content Warning: They will talk about racism, misgendering, homophobia, transphobia, and trauma.**

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Mystique here (https://www.theblackbirthhealer.com). Follow Mystique on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/theblackbirthhealer) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/blackbirthhealer). Learn more about Mystique’s fundraiser project on Black-led birth and postpartum services here (https://ifundwomen.com/projects/black-led-birth-and-postpartum-wellness). 

Learn more about Kortney and The Queer Doula Network here (https://queerdoulanetwork.com/). Follow The Queer Doula Network on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/QueerDoulaNetwork/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/queerdoulas/). Learn more about the Queer Doula Network membership here (https://www.patreon.com/queerdoulanetwork). Connect with the Queer Doula Network by email here (queerdoulanetwork@gmail.com). 

Learn more about Nadie here (https://www.doula4all.com/). Learn more about Roots Community Birth Center here (https://www.rootsbirthcenter.com/). Follow Nadine on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Doula4all) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/Doula4all/). Learn more about Birth Revolution here (https://thebirthrevolution.org/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Dr. Stephanie Mitchell about starting a midwifery-led birth center. 

Dr. Mitchell is a certified nurse-midwife who earned her BSN from Curry College, along with her MSN and her doctorate of Nursing Practice from Frontier Nursing University. Dr. Mitchell is the founder of The Birth Sanctuary of Gainesville, Alabama, a freestanding birth center under development that will be the first Black-owned birth center in the state. She is actively involved in teaching others on Instagram as @doctor_midwife.

We will talk about Dr. Mitchell’s journey to becoming a nurse-midwife and her passion for restoring Black-led midwifery care to the people of Alabama. We also talk about how Dr. Mitchell calls out harmful obstetric practices against Black birthing bodies, and how she advocates for the importance of creating safer and affirmative services in perinatal healthcare. 

**Content warning: We talk about implicit bias and racism.**

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Stephanie Mitchell and The Birth Sanctuary here (https://thebirthsanctuary.com/). Follow Stephanie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/doctor_midwife/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast we are excited to feature Feminist Midwife, Stephanie Tillman (she/her), a midwife at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Stephanie is on the Board of Directors of Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Midwest Access Project. Stephanie is also a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives Ethics Committee and is an advisory committee member of the Queer and Transgender Midwives Association. 

We talk about Stephanie’s journey to becoming a midwife involved in trauma-informed care. We also talk about the importance of active consent regarding pelvic exams and forced medical interventions in birth work. Stephanie also shares her thoughts about the ARRIVE trial's effects on 39-week elective inductions in the Chicago area.

**Content Warning: We will be talking about obstetric abuse, sexual assault, trauma, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and gaslighting.**

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Stephanie Tillman and “Feminist Midwife” here (https://www.feministmidwife.com/). Read Stephanie’s article “Consent in Pelvic Care” here (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jmwh.13189). Follow Stephanie on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FeministMidwife/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/feministmidwife), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/feministmidwife/). 

Learn more about the American College of Nurse-Midwives here (https://www.midwife.org/default.aspx). 

Learn more about Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health here (https://www.nsrh.org/). 

Learn more about the Midwest Access Project here (https://midwestaccessproject.org/). 

Learn more about the Queer and Transgender Midwives Association here (https://www.elephantcircle.net/qtma). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we are thrilled to share with you an empowering and transformative home birth story from Trish and Mimi Ang.

Trish (she/her) and Mimi (she/her) are first-time parents to their baby boy, Aspen Kai, and they are graduates of the EBB Childbirth Class. Mimi and Trish fell in love three years ago over rock climbing, and pushed up their home insemination plans last year due to COVID. 

We spoke with Trish and Mimi about using an alternative process for their family planning, as well as their refreshing experience taking an EBB Childbirth Class with their doula and EBB instructor, Shalin Butterworth. They also describe their empowering home birth experience (including how they overcame some challenges!) and the supportive care provided by their midwives and doula.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Shalin Butterworth here (https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/). Follow Shalin on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sozenbirthservices/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sozenbirth/).  

Learn more about Birthstream here (https://www.birthstream.com/). 

Learn more about California is Mothers-for-Mothers Postpartum Justice Project here (https://m2mpostpartum.org). 

 Learn more about Chicago Volunteer Doulas here (https://www.chicagovolunteerdoulas.org/). 

Learn more about the Military Birth Resource Network here (https://www.militarybirthresourcenetwork.org/). 

Learn more about 4th Trimester Arizona here (https://4thtrimesteraz.org/). 

Learn more about Postpartum Support International here (https://postpartum.net). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, I'm so excited to welcome Dr. Shannon Clark. Dr. Clark is a double board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and maternal-fetal medicine specialist focusing on the care of people with perinatal or fetal complications in pregnancy.

 

With a special interest in pregnancy after the age of 35, Dr. Clark has been inspired not only by the experiences of friends and patients but by her own personal experience of trying to get pregnant in her forties.

We talk about Dr. Clark’s journey to her role in as an OB/GYN serving pregnant people over the age of 35, and her own challenging, personal experience of getting pregnant (with twins!) for the first time at the age of 42.

**Content warning: We will talk about miscarriage, fertility issues, and pregnancy complications.**

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Dr. Shannon M. Clark and “Babies After 35” here (https://www.babiesafter35.com/). Follow Dr. Clark on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/babiesafter35/), TikTok (tiktokbabydoc), and Instagram (tps://www.instagram.com/babiesafter35). 

Learn more about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) here (https://www.nih.gov/). 

Learn more about maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) here (https://www.smfm.org/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Mera and Dimitri about having their fourth baby after the age of 35 and giving birth before they could make it to the hospital. 

Mera is a freelance writer, enrichment educator, and mom of four living in South Carolina. Dimitri is an army veteran studying computer science and a father of four in South Carolina. Mera and Dimitri recently gave birth to their baby in October of 2020. And they took the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class with EBB instructor, Juliann Lee, who is also based in South Carolina. 

We will talk about their very exciting birth story about giving birth in their living room before they could make it to the hospital. We also talk about their experience of pregnancy after 35 and feeling prepared to advocate for the birth that they wanted after taking the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class. 

**Content warning: We will talk about prior birth trauma.**

Learn more about Juliann Lee here (https://www.littleorchidsbirth.com/meet-juliann). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

We are thrilled to announce that we have updated the research information on one of our most popular articles, the Evidence on Advanced Maternal Age.

My mom had her first baby at the age of 19, and that was "normal" back then. But today, it seems like delaying pregnancy until your 30s or older is becoming the norm. All around the world, the average age at first birth is going up and reaching record highs! So needless to say, the topic of "Advanced Maternal Age" affects a LOT of people!

In today's podcast, I share the recording from our webinar on AMA that will include the actual statistics on the health outcomes for people who are pregnant at 35 and older. The recording also includes some storytelling and discussion of the implications of this research data.

Hopefully, the information in the podcast and the Signature Article will be helpful either to you or someone you know. Feel free to forward this article to anyone you think might be interested!

Content warning: We will talk about statistics on stillbirth, newborn death, and gestational mortality, as well as the effects of racism on stillbirth.

Resources:

Learn more about Jennie Joseph here (https://commonsensechildbirth.org/). Learn moare about The JJ Way here (https://savinglives.biz/the-jj-way/). Follow Jennie Joseph on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeJennie/) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/iamjenniejoseph/). Listen to Jennie Joseph’s EBB podcast here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/solutions-for-the-crisis-in-american-maternity-care-with-jennie-joseph/). 

Learn more about UpToDate here (https://www.uptodate.com/home). 

Learn more about Denise Bolds and A Bold Doula here (https://www.bolddoula.com/). 

Learn more about China Tolliver here (https://www.riseupmidwife.com/). 

Learn more about Black Mamas Matter Association here (https://blackmamasmatter.org/). 

Learn more about the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here (https://www.acog.org/). 

Learn more about the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here (https://www.rcog.org.uk/). 

Learn more about Dr. Mimi Niles here (https://nursing.nyu.edu/directory/faculty/mimi-niles). 

Learn more about Dr. Alicia Breakey here (https://scholar.harvard.edu/breakey/biocv). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Today's podcast episode is focused on a very important topic— the Evidence on Midwives.

We've been asked for years to publish an article or podcast on the evidence on midwifery care, and we felt there was no better day to release a podcast episode on this topic than May 5th, International Day of the Midwife!

In this episode, I discuss the different types of midwives, the history of midwifery care (and how it was nearly eliminated in the U.S.), and the research on the better health outcomes that are seen when families are randomly assigned to receive midwifery-led care. We also talk about the effects of racism and mistreatment in obstetric care, and how midwives — especially midwives of color— are a critical solution to the maternal mortality crisis in the U.S.

With the theme of the 2021 International Day of the Midwife being, “Follow the data and invest in midwives,” we are honored in this podcast episode to talk about why we need more midwives of color, and to acknowledge the Black grand midwives who have recently transitioned from elders to ancestors. 

Content warning: In this episode, we talk about miscarriage, fetal loss, and racism.

Resources:

Learn more about Birth Place Lab Maps here (https://birthplacelab.org/maps). 

Learn more about The Giving Voice to Mothers study here (https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-019-0729-2). 

Learn more about Melanated Midwives here (https://melanatedmidwives.org). 

Learn more about the National Black Midwives Alliance here (https://blackmidwivesalliance.org/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we are thrilled to share with you an important interview with the co-founders of The Black OBGYN Project, Dr. Rachel Bervell, and Dr. Tamandra Morgan. 

Dr. Rachel Bervell, a graduate of Harvard and Georgetown University, is the founder of the nonprofit organization “Hugs for Ghana," and co-founder of “The Fresh Resource Urban Initiative Team” or FRUIT, which addresses food insecurity and underserved communities through health literacy and nutrition courses. Dr. Bervell continues today to be dedicated to vulnerable communities and patients and serves as a medical consultant for the University of California, San Francisco's “Voices for Birth Justice” and as a women's health practitioner.

Dr. Tamandra Morgan, a graduate of Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a second-year resident physician in OB/GYN at the University of California, San Francisco. In Chicago, Dr. Morgan was a leader in the Urban Medicine program and volunteered at the male health forum on Chicago South Side. Dr. Morgan is a 2017 recipient of the prestigious American Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellowships.

In today's podcast, Dr. Bervell and Dr. Morgan share their journey to becoming obstetric physicians. We also talk about their experiences with creating “The Black OBGYN Project,” and how they are using their platform to advocate and amplify the need for more Black OB/GYNs to enter and be supported in the field. 

**Content Warning: We talk about racial disparities, obstetric abuse, microaggressions, and sexual assault.** 

Resources:

Learn more about The Black OBGYN Project here on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Black-ObGyn-Project) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/theblackobgynproject). 

Learn more about Medical Bondage by Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens here (https://ugapress.org/book/9780820354750/medical-bondage/). 

Learn more about Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts here 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this week’s podcast, we wrap up our mini-series on breech babies by covering the latest research on external cephalic version (ECV) for breech positioned babies!

Topics covered in this podcast episode include updated information on:

How common it is to have a breech positioned baby

• How often people are offered and receive an ECV for a breech baby
• The effectiveness of ECV for lowering the risk of Cesarean
• Benefits and risks of the ECV procedure
• Pain management during an ECV
• Timing of an ECV and techniques that can increase effectiveness
• Effects of a prior Cesarean on the ECV success rate
• And more!

 To read the transcript and see all of the research references, just go to https://evidencebasedbirth.com/breechversion

Resources:

• EBB Signature Article on Breech Version https://evidencebasedbirth.com/breechversion
• EBB Podcast 171: Breech Vaginal Birth
• EBB Podcast 172: Interview with Breech without Borders
• Visit Breech without Borders at https://breechwithoutborders.com
• Read our Signature Article all about Family-centered Cesareans: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/cesareancare

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we have the pleasure to talk to our honored guests, Dr. Rixa Freeze and Dr. David Hayes about breech vaginal birth. 

Dr. Rixa Freeze has a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and is a researcher, professor, and mother of four children. Her current research specialization is vaginal breech birth, and she's president of Breech Without Borders, a 501(c)3 non-profit. She also blogs at Stand and Deliver. Dr. David Hayes, MD, is an OBGYN who works at Harvest Moon Women’s Health with an academic background and a passion for science and its proper application to clinical medicine. Dr. Hayes has worked for Medecins Sans Frontieres, Doctors Without Borders, and is trained in critical care obstetrics. 

We with talk about the evidence-based research around breech vaginal birth. We also talk about their innovative approach to breech vaginal birth training with Breech Without Borders. 

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Breech Without Borders here (https://www.breechwithoutborders.org/). 

Learn more about Dr. Freeze and Stand and Deliver here (https://arixa.blogspot.com). 

Learn more about Dr. Hayes and Harvest Moon Women’s Health here (https://www.harvestmoonwomenshealth.com/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we will be talking with EBB Childbirth Class parents, Janae and Andrew Rick, as they share their unique birth story about their vaginal breech birth. 

Janae is a senior graphic designer for a makeup company. Andrew is in the restaurant industry working as a bar back and bartender in Minneapolis. 

After recently buying their first home at St. Paul Park in October of 2020, they gave birth to their first baby, a boy named Jenoa, in January 2021, who arrived exactly on his due date. Janae and Andrew are graduates of the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class with instructors, Heather Christine Struwe and Rhonda Fellows. 

We talk about their experience with learning about their options of having a vaginal breech birth. We also talk about their unique birthing story and having amazing support during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

RESOURCES

Learn more about Heather Cristine Struwe here (https://holisticcontinuum.com/). Follow Heather Christine on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/hc.heatherchristine). 

Learn about Rhonda Fellows via Oily Doula MN here (https://www.oilydoulamn.com/) and follow Oily Doula MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/oilydoulamn/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oilydoulamn/).

Learn more about Dr. Rixa Freeze, Dr. David Hayes, and Breech Without Borders here (https://www.breechwithoutborders.org/). 

Learn more about External Cephalic Version (ECV) here (https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/hw180146#:~:text=External%20cephalic%20version%2C%20or%20version,to%20try%20a%20vaginal%20birth). 

Learn more about Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) here (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15342835/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, I am excited to welcome a special guest and my friend, Cristen Pascucci of Birth Monopoly! Cristen and I talk about how to file hospital complaints when people experience mistreatment or unsafe care during childbirth. 

Content warning: Obstetric violence, birth trauma, and sexual assault in obstetrics. 

A former communications strategist at a top public affairs firm in Baltimore, Maryland, Cristen Pascucci is the founder of Birth Monopoly and creator of the online course, Know Your Rights: Legal and Human Rights in Childbirth for Birth Professionals and Advocates. She is also co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project and host of Birth Allowed Radio, a podcast. Cristen is a leading voice in the field of maternity care, speaking around the world and consulting privately on issues related to birth rights and birthing options.

Cristen and I talk about the formal process of how one can submit a complaint to the hospital and state licensing boards if they experienced mistreatment or unsafe childbirth practices. We also talk about obstetric violence and birth trauma due to systemic barriers in childbirth care, and how more people can become involved as advocates.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about Cristen Pascucci and Birth Monopoly here (www.birthmonopoly.com).

Check out the Complaint toolkit here: https://birthmonopoly.com/complaint 

Find out about "Mother May I" the documentary here: https://mothermayithemovie.com  

Follow Birth Monopoly on Facebook here (https://facebook.com/birthmonopoly). Follow Birth Monopoly on Instagram here (https://instagram.com/birthmonopoly). 

Read the news report about the Annals of Internal Medicine paper about abusive behavior in the operating room here. 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we will be talking with our honored guest, Dr. Amber Warmsley. Dr. Warmsley is a wife of five years to an amazing husband and a mother of two young children. She's a native Southern Californian transplanted to the D.C. metro area who will always love the beach. Dr. Warmsley is also an attending board-certified practicing OB-GYN with 8 years experience, 12 years if you count residency (which you definitely should). Dr. Warmsley is currently Chairperson of the department of OB-GYN and hospitalist site director at a hospital in Maryland.

Dr. Warmsley is passionate about fostering a collaborative care approach to pregnancy-related care and creating a safe, positive, and uplifting birthing experience. She believes that all women and families deserve compassion, respect, dignity, and shared decision-making from their birthing team. 

RESOURCES:

Learn more about The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) here (www.acog.org).

Hishikawa, K., Kusaka, T., Fukuda, T., et al. (2020). Neonatal outcomes of two-step delivery in low-risk pregnancy: A prospective observational study. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2020 Jul;46(7):1090-1097.
 
Huang, H., Yang, M., Zhou, H., et al. (2018). Method of shoulder delivery and neonatal outcomes: A meta-analysis of prospective controlled studies. Natl Med J India. 2018 Nov-Dec;31(6):324-328.
 
Kotaska, A. & Campbell, K. (2014). Two-step delivery may avoid shoulder dystocia: head-to-body delivery interval is less important than we think. J Obstet Gynaecol Can. 2014 Aug;36(8):716-720. 
 
Locatelli, A. Incerti, M., Ghidini, A., et al. (2011). Head-to-body delivery interval using ‘two-step’ approach in vaginal deliveries: effect on umbilical artery pH, The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 24:6, 799-803.
 
Zhang, H., Zhao, N., Lu, Y., et al. (2017). Two-step shoulder delivery method reduces the incidence of shoulder dystocia. Clin Exp Obstet Gynecol. 2017;44(3):347-352.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we will be talking about the evidence on using erythromycin eye ointment for newborns. As this is a controversial topic, I am excited to talk about the intriguing research evidence and the history of eye ointment regarding how it started and why it was used in the past, as well as why it is still being used today.

We have covered this topic before here in our Signature Articles.

We will also discuss whether or not it is effective for its designed purpose, along with antibiotic resistance, the benefits and risks of using eye ointment on newborns, and alternatives to use in place of eye ointment. 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

n 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.

Content Warning: We will be talking about maternal mortality and racism.

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. We also talk about the significantly high rates of maternal mortality among Black and Brown individuals and racism in birth work. 

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.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we talk with L&D nurse, Ann Marie Gilligan, about perinatal positioning during labor. Ann is a labor and delivery nurse in Minnesota, who is trained in high-risk obstetrics and advanced fetal monitoring, certified through Waterbirth International and also, certified as a sexual assault nurse examiner. Ann has 30 years of labor and delivery experience, ranging from the start-up team for an independent birth center to working at a level three high-risk labor and delivery unit to working as a legal nurse consultant and prenatal yoga instructor. Ann has extensive experience caring for families who want an unmedicated birth as well as caring for people with high-risk conditions, such as pre-eclampsia, uncontrolled diabetes, postpartum hemorrhage, and sepsis. Ann has also traveled to Bolivia and Tanzania, where she taught high-risk obstetrics and maternal positioning for optimal fetal positioning. More recently, Ann became an Evidence Based Birth® Instructor in 2020 and is a Spinning Babies® Aware Practitioner. 

We talk about maternal positioning and its effect on fetal positioning during labor. We also talk about Ann’s vast experience as an L&D nurse and her web-based resource, Gilligan's Guide, where Ann teaches physicians, nurses, and families the importance of infant positioning for birth.

Learn about Ann Marie Gilligan and Gilligan’s Guide here (www.gilligansguide.com). Follow Ann on Instagram here (www.instagram.com/gilligansguide). 

Learn about EBB instructor, Rhonda Fellows, Learn about Oily Doula MN here (https://www.oilydoulamn.com/) and follow Oily Doula MN on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/oilydoulamn/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/oilydoulamn/).

Learn more about Spinning Babies® here (https://www.spinningbabies.com/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

I'm pleased to share with you today's podcast episode, which is a comprehensive update of the research evidence on COVID-19 and pregnancy and childbirth!

To view the scientific references for this article, visit the COVID-19 resource page here and look for the February 17, 2021 podcast episode text.

In this podcast episode, I cover:

• The current global situation
• What we know so far about prevention/vaccines during pregnancy
• Testing and diagnosis
• Symptoms during pregnancy
• Risk of hospitalization and severe/critical illness in pregnancy
• Treatment of COVID-19 during pregnancy
• Risks to the fetus, including the risk of preterm birth
• Timing of birth if you're infected with COVID-19
• Whether its possible to transmit COVID-19 to the fetus in utero
• Antibody transfer during pregnancy and through human milk
• Newborn outcomes and best practices when a baby is born to an infected parent
• Hospital policies on permitting birth partners
• Hospital policies on permitting doulas
• Changes we've seen to labor and delivery practices during the pandemic
• Where you can go to read guidelines from professional organizations

I hope that this podcast episode is helpful! I'm happy that our research team was able to put it together for you.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Nathalie Walton, CEO of the Expectful app, about coping with anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum— especially when you have a high-risk pregnancy.

Nathalie is the CEO of Expectful, the number one meditation and sleep app for growing families. She has spent the last eight years in leadership roles at Airbnb, Google, and eBay. As a new mother to her 10-month old son Everett, Nathalie experienced the failure of the U.S. healthcare system as it pertains to nurturing the mental and emotional well-being of pregnant and new parents. She joined the team at Expectful to provide universal access to evidence-based wellness solutions such as meditation to help millions of people around the world navigate the new stage of parenthood.

**Content Warning: This episode includes a birth story with placental abruption, emergency cesarean, and NICU admission.** 

Natalie talks with us about her journey to parenthood, including how she prepared for her “marathon” high-risk pregnancy and birthing experience. We also talk about how she empowered herself to take control of her mental well-being during pregnancy and birth. 

Learn more about Nathalie Walton and the Expectful app here (https://expectful.com/). To learn more about Expectful’s Helping Hands scholarship program, email them at care@expectful.com. Follow Expectful on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/expectful/) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/expectful/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we are talking with Jamie and Ryan English about their unexpectedly long but empowering hospital birth, as well as the effects of severe diastasis recti on the labor process.

Jamie and Ryan are graduates of the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class, which they took with EBB instructor Jennifer Anderson. Ryan is a commercial property manager and Jamie is a photographer. They moved to Sacramento a few years ago from San Diego, California, and at the same time they found out they were pregnant with their baby girl. 

We talk about how Jamie and Ryan prepared for their birthing experience as first-time parents during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We also talk about Jamie’s long labor experience due to the effects of having severe diastasis recti. 

Learn more about Katy Bowman and her book, “Diastasis Recti: The Whole-Body Solution to Abdominal Weakness and Separation” here (https://linktr.ee/nutritiousmovement). Follow Katy on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/nutritiousmovement/?hl=en) and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NutritiousMovement/). 

Learn more about the Fit2B exercise program here (https://fit2b.us/). 

Learn more about the “The Birth Hour” podcast here (https://thebirthhour.com/). Follow “The Birth Hour” podcast on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thebirthhour/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thebirthhour/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/brynhuntpalmer). 

Learn more about EBB Instructor, Jennifer Anderson, here (https://www.birthfusion.com/) and follow Birth Fusion on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/birthfusion/). 

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, I'm excited to talk with Kimberly Seals Allers. Kimberly is an award-winning journalist, five-time author, international speaker, strategist, and advocate for maternal and infant health. A former senior editor at Essence, and a writer at Fortune Magazine, Kimberly is a leading voice on the socio-cultural complexities of motherhood. Kimberly is also the founder of Irth, a new app to address bias in maternity and infant care.

We talk about how Kimberly’s new app, Irth, which addresses biased maternal care and cultural competency when serving marginalized communities. We also talk about the challenges Kimberly overcame after launching Irth.  

**Content Warning: We discuss racism/racial violence, Black maternal mortality, and infant mortality.**

Learn more about Kimberly Seals Allers and the Irth app here (https://birthwithoutbias.com/who-we-are). Follow Kimberly Seals Allers on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/iamKSealsAllers/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/iamksealsallers/?hl=en). Learn about Narrative Nation, Inc here (https://wewriteus.org/). Learn more about Kimberly’s books, “Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy” here (https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-mocha-manual-to-a-fabulous-pregnancy-kimberly-seals-allers) and “The Big Letdown: How Medicine, Big Business, and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding” here (https://www.amazon.com/Big-Letdown-Medicine-Undermine-Breastfeeding/dp/1250026962). 

Learn more about Dr. Fleda Mask Jackson here (https://drfledamjackson.com/). 

Learn more about Cristen Pascucci and Birth Monopoly here (https://birthmonopoly.com/). Follow Birth Monopoly on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/birthmonopoly/) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/birthmonopoly/?hl=en).

Learn more about the California Healthcare Foundation here (https://www.chcf.org/). Follow the California Healthcare Foundation on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/chcfnews/) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/chcfnews).

Learn more about the Tower Health Foundation here (https://www.towerhealth.org/reading-hospital-foundation). 

Learn more about the Grove Foundation here (https://www.thegrovefoundation.org/). 

Learn more about the Kellogg Foundation here (https://www.wkkf.org/). Follow the Kellogg Foundation on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/KelloggFoundation), Twitter (https://twitter.com/wk_kellogg_fdn), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/kelloggfoundation/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s podcast, we will be speaking with Mystique Hargrove, EBB Featured Instructor. Mystique (She/They) is a certified full spectrum doula who serves BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of color), and LGBTQ+ individuals in Greensboro, North Carolina. Mystique also serves as an advisory board member for the United States Lactation Consultant Association, and is a Certified Lactation Educator, as well as a Certified Childbirth Educator. Mystique completed her Master of Science in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling from North Carolina A&T State University, along with a Marriage and Family Counseling Certification. Mystique earned a Certification in Wellness and Nutrition Consulting and Counseling, and her Certification in Reiki I and II, along with her certification as a Reiki Master. As a Black, Latinx, and Indigenous birth worker, Mystique has experience in herbal medicine and ancestral healing practices under Black, Latinx, and Indigenous teachers, and elder curanderas, or healers, in her community. Currently, Mystique is a Ph.D. student at Capella University for Counselor Education and Supervision, with a research focus on Inclusive Services and Advocacy in Perinatal Mental Health for Black, LGBTQ+ individuals. 

Content Warning: In this episode, we will talk about birth trauma and birth and perinatal mortality. 

We talk about Mystique’s experience as a birth worker in her community and what challenges she is faced with as an advocate for inclusive perinatal care for marginalized communities.

Learn more about Mystique and The Black Birth Healer (https://www.theblackbirthhealer.com). Follow Mystique on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheBlackBirthHealer) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/blackbirthhealer).

Learn more about Janiya Williams (https://www.madeingso.com/2020/08/28/janiya_mitnaul_williams/) and her Human Lactation Pathway 2 Certification Program at NC A&T State University (https://www.ncat.edu/caes/departments/family-and-consumer-sciences/lactation-cert.php). Follow Mahoghany Milk on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MahoganyMilk) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mahoganymilk). 

Learn more about Dr. Juan Michelle Martin here (https://www.jmmhealthsolutions.com/). Follow Dr. Martin on Instagram here (www.instagram.com/thepelvicperspective). View Dr. Martin’s pelvic floor topic videos on YouTube for JMM Health Solutions here (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKNEkVefn_wLgrqlf4wyXHw).

Learn more about National College of Midwifery (https://www.midwiferycollege.edu/). Follow National College of Midwifery on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NationalCollegeMidwifery/). 

Learn more about Dr. Cheryl Beck (https://birthful.com/podcastbirthptsd/).

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we are going to talk about the research evidence on failure to progress. 

We also talk about what studies have shown about the normal length of labor, as well as the benefits and risks of having a longer pushing time.

We encourage you to visit https://evidencebasedbirth.com/failuretoprogress to get all the research references and a one-page handout.

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, I interview Fiona and Craig Castleton about their birthing experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiona and Craig welcomed their first baby in April 2020 — when everything was locked down. To prepare for their experience, they took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB Instructor, Shalin Butterworth, who also happened to be their doula.

We talk about their experience taking the online Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class and how Shalin helped mentor them in comfort measures and advocacy. We also talk about birthing during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they advocated for themselves during pregnancy and during the birth. Fiona has shorter stature and had a history of spinal fusion surgery as a teen, and she had to navigate conflicting medical opinions about her ability to have an epidural or, even whether or not she could have a vaginal birth.

In the end, Fiona and Craig used their advocacy skills and had an empowering unmedicated hospital birthing experience as first-time parents.

Shalin Butterworth, their doula, and EBB Instructor: https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/
Take an EBB Childbirth Class from Shalin: https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/ebb-for-expecting-families

Birth Words podcast located here: https://www.birthwords.com/podcast
Birth Words class for professionals here: https://www.birthwords.com/classes
 
Feminist Midwife blog: https://www.feministmidwife.com/
Feminist Midwife e-newsletter:
https://feministmidwife.substack.com/about?utm_source=subscribe_email&utm_content=learn_more

For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.