Birthkeeper Banter

Amanda joins us to speak on her journey to motherhood. She was unable to conceive for years, then at age 37 conceived her first baby. She speaks about her hospital birth experience and what she did not enjoy about the care. She went on to conceive 3 more times and had each of them at home, 2 being unassisted. She speaks on the myths of the “geriatric” label and reminds women that if they can grow...

Anna joins us on Birthkeeper Banter to share with us her journey in motherhood and child birth. She chose a freebirth for her first baby before knowing that it was a “thing”. She successfully and confidently freebirthed her first baby at home then went on to have another freebirth with her second. She shares about how different the two experiences were. She also reminds us of why it’s important th...

Desirae shares on many aspects of pregnancy and birth that are impacted by the mind. In conception, pregnancy, and birth our mind plays a larger role than that of the physical. Desirae encourages women to address their headspace prior to labor; fears, doubts, or trauma and everything in between. She reminds us that if a baby is not coming down, or is sitting at the perineum and won’t budge, to thi...

Autumn, an Ohio traditional midwife and IBCLC, joins us to share a bit on her birthing experiences. She experienced a home birth with her first baby, then 3 hospital births to follow - which isn’t often the case! Listen to this short podcast to learn why. Autumn shares on the importance of traditional birth attending, autonomy, and how this generation is normalizing and offering traditional care m...

In the birth worker world, you cannot take just anyone! On this episode, we talk about WHY, what you can do about it, red flags, dropping clients, refunds and more. More to be found in the upcoming midwifery cohort by HERBAL!

Des and Taylor hop on to discuss the different comfort measures they have used, and seen in birth clients and what really worked! It’s important to know precautions with things that have been popularized for comfort, and you may learn something you have never heard of before! Great for a quick and light listen!

Angie joins us to share in great detail about her 4 birth experiences from hospital births to freebirth and a midwife assisted birth in between. She explains her journey and progression to feel confident to freebirth. She shares on the support of her partner, that the gender of baby isn’t of great importance in pregnancy, and how liberating her freebirth was, despite it being one of her more chall...

Diving head first into the very hot topic of Roe V Wade and abortion rights/laws, Des and Taylor discuss how they both used to be very “pro-birth”, what their perspectives once were versus what they are now, things that people don’t consider, how this impacts so many including loss moms, and what options people have. Listen with an open heart and mind!

Morgan, The Holistic Doula, joins us to share about her hospital birth experience that led her to birth work. She shares on her journey with sitting at birth and why she only attends unassisted/freebirths. She also offers suggestions for other birth workers who are considering attending freebirths in a state where midwifery is highly regulated. I short but lovely and informative podcast!

Ashley and Sydney are friends that had their babies on the same day - how cool?! These ladies discuss how they connected as friends and kindled a friendship while living states apart. They each share with us about their own previous birth stories, what led them to choose freebirth, and about their freebirth experiences from start to finish. Listen to hear how they were able to support one another...

Mallory joins us to share about her first birth in a hospital and how she went on to have a wild pregnancy and freebirth. For her second pregnancy she decided not to tell others until baby was born; she shares on what that was like and why she chose not to share. We discuss tears and management of, as well as sex postpartum and why one might be desiring to have sex within a week postpartum. Mallor...

Savannah shares with us her journey through three birth experiences; a hospital induction, a birth center birth, and a precipitous freebirth. She shares how her personal experiences had led her into birth work herself. She explains how she mentally manifested and prepared for the birth of her dreams and let’s listeners know that they can do the same! She shares insight and suggestions for those wh...

Desirae speaks about common fears, insecurities, and doubts held by many birth workers and how to work through those, as well as many of her own experiences. She shares the keys to getting started and being successful, without getting in your own way. Imposter syndrome is also a common occurrence with new birth workers, Desirae shares on how to work through that and continue on. An inspiring and m...

Ashley shares her 4 birthing experiences; 1 hospital birth where she felt robbed of her experience, followed by 3 home births with different midwives each time. She shares what she liked and did not like in each experience, her experiences with Pitocin, going beyond 42 weeks gestation, and offers advice for other women choosing home birth. Ashley shares that if there would be a "next birth" it wou...

This is a very heavy and deep podcast on a taboo topic that isn’t often enough discussed. Desirae speaks about stillbirth and her views surrounding, as well as insight for all birth workers who sit at birth. At the end of the day, if we choose to sit at birth, we are there for whatever may unfold. Rarely, but sometimes, that unfolding is a baby born sleeping. Desirae shares on how souls view this...

In the birth world, radical birth attendants are seen as unprofessional. If you ask Des and Taylor how they feel about that, it’s a big THANK YOU these days, but it didn’t always feel that way. Desirae and Taylor discuss professionalism in birth work and why it sucks big fat episiotomy scissors bad, what licensure means to us, when birth work has been hard, when we have almost given up, and how we...

Desirae brings us a short special expressing her views on how walking with families through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum have gently shifted her along the way in her birth work journey. She shares on how she has changed over time as a result of the experiences she’s encountered over the years; further relaying that birth work is one of the most transformative journeys one could embark on. A gr...

Steph brings us a detailed account of her journey with her wife Stephanie (yes they have the same name!) through getting pregnant, choosing birth center care, postpartum, legalities, and motherhood as a same-sex family! Happy Pride, y’all!

Surrogacy has become very normalized in our society… but should it be? Desirae and Taylor discuss the hidden truths and traumas of surrogacy that is covered up by fertility physicians, surrogacy agencies, and even parents and surrogates themselves. This one is gonna stir up some emotions, we want to hear your opinions on this controversial subject!

Did you know that Desirae serves the Amish birth community?! In this episode we knock out common misconceptions of the Amish and explore the ins and outs of how they live, and how that plays into pregnancy, birth, postpartum and more. We can all learn so much from how the Amish view everything and apply it to our lifestyle and choices.

Anyone who has spent a good amount of time in the birth work community, you know that there is cattiness and politics that come with it. This episode comes as a suggested call to action to birth workers everywhere, do better for your community, only do to others what you would want done to you, and let’s revolutionize how we TREAT each other as birth workers with different things to offer. Come to...

Heather brings us a humorous and enlightening story of her VBAC Freebirth (aka FBAC). Heather, a VBAC, a prior breech mom, advanced maternal age, and in a community unsupportive of freebirth, finds herself in a position of having to channel her patience, intuition and trusted friends to make it through a 26 hour placenta birth. If you’ve ever been told the placenta has to come out within 30-60 min...

Des and Taylor launch the new season of Birthkeeper Banter with an extremely informative episode, you know how we do. Touching on the quick need to knows of emergencies, variations, important prep for planning a freebirth or unassisted birth, and sharing tidbits of knowledge from both of our freebirth experiences. Any level of experienced birthing mama can learn something and appreciate something...

Desirae and Taylor discuss the hot topic of freebirth definitions, what is and isn’t assistance, what makes a Freebirth free, and all the hypothetical questions that come with that! We would love your feedback on what Freebirth means to you.

Khristie shares her intimate details of all her births, starting with becoming a teen mom, all the way to her healing freebirth. She expresses great tips, information and feelings all throughout! Such a good, long listen.