Evidence Based Birth®

In this episode I bring you the evidence on labor induction for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A few months ago, we released an article all about the evidence on diagnosing GDM, and we wanted to follow up that article with another focused solely on labor induction versus expectant management for GDM.  Listen to learn the two most common questions that people ask when they are diagnosed with...

In this episode I am joined by three guests to talk about the Evidence Based Birth Comfort Measures for Labor and Delivery Nurses workshop. Our panel includes registered nurse, childbirth educator and EBB Instructor Jessica Hazboun from San Diego, labor and delivery nurse and childbirth educator Lori Lopez from Honolulu, and EBB Instructor, childbirth educator and doula Cat LaPlante from the New J...

In this episode I interview Emily Fleenor, a new parent who recently gave birth to her daughter while her husband was in active duty stationed at Fort Campbell in Tennessee. They both took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class from EBB Instructor Heidi Duncan, and appreciated the flexibility of the online format during times when Emily's husband was away for work. Emily worked with a freestand...

In this episode I interview my mother, Carol, about her experience giving birth with "twilight sleep" - a state of sedation and general anesthesia that used to be administered during the second stage of labor. Carol is a mother of six. She has experienced three different types of childbirth: birth with twilight sleep, birth with an epidural, and birth without an epidural fully awake. She's also a...

In this episode, I interview Dr. Nicole Rankins about the role of a hospitalist obstetrician, and how families can prepare themselves to have a safe and fulfilling birth in a hospital setting. Nicole is a wife and mother to two girls, an obstetrician/gynecologist, a podcast host, and an integrative health coach. She did her residency at Duke University, and also did a research fellowship at UNC Ch...

In this week's podcast, I interview new parents Heather Hyden and Jimmy Earley. They live in Lexington, Kentucky, and were one of the first couples to take the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class in 2018. Heather works at a local university, and Jimmy works at a local nonprofit. Their son Kess turned 9 months on the day we recorded this episode. Theirs is a unique story in that this pregnancy wa...

In this episode, I interview Ben Atkinson. Ben has been married for 20 years, and has four children and one angel baby. He attended all five of his children's births, and caught the last two himself. He has been exploring the masculine role in birth since his first child was born. With encouragement from a group of birth professionals, he developed a course for expectant fathers, to help them use...

In this episode, I interview Noel and Joel Smothers, missionaries who gave birth to their first child last fall. They currently live in North Carolina but will be heading back to Brazil soon. Noel felt it was really important to have a vaginal birth if at all possible, so that she could continue to have future vaginal births when she's living in countries with less developed health systems. They t...

In this episode, I am joined by "Mr. EBB" himself, Dan Dekker! Dan is an Accountant with his MBA, the father of 3 children, and also my husband. He has worked for more than 10 years in small business accounting, and five years ago left a successful corporate position to become a full-time stay-at-home dad and to serve as the Chief Financial Officer of Evidence Based Birth . Dan and I dive into the...

In this episode, I am joined by EBB Professional Membership and Higher Ed Program Coordinator Chanté Perryman. Chanté is a certified birth and postpartum doula, a childbirth educator, an Evidence Based Birth Instructor, and will begin training as a midwife in 2020. She is a strong promoter of birth choices - coordinating an annual baby expo, publishing a quarterly magazine for local parents, and v...

In this episode, I interview certified nurse midwife Olivia Favela-Gary. Olivia has been a CNM for over five years, and has been a registered nurse for 10 years. She currently practices in Los Angeles and Southern California in a Federally Qualified Health Center, and attends births in a hospital setting working mostly with underserved and high risk populations. She also frequently works as a firs...

In this episode, I interview midwife and Evidence Based Birth Professional member Afua Hassan. Afua has practiced as a midwife since 1984. In 2011, she expanded her home birth practice and founded The Birthing Place, Houston's first freestanding birth center owned and operated by a black midwife. The name "The Birthing Place" was chosen by Afua in response to her observation that many women felt t...

In this episode, I interview Caley O'Brien about her empowering birth experience and being one of the first parents to take the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class. Caley has been married to her husband Kent for two years, and they live in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She is now a stay-at-home parent to her baby Solomon, and describes herself as a "crunchy hippie". Caley and Kent took the EBB Childb...

In this episode, I interview Nichole Croft and Todd Jackson of New Jersey. Their first baby was born in the summer of 2018, and they were among the first parents to take the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class. They were taught by EBB Instructor Cat LaPlante, and were referred to the class by their doula after inquiring about pain management techniques.  Listen as they describe their birth exper...

In this episode, I interview Michelle Wilson, one of the first parents to take the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class. Michelle has one son, Matthew, and is a stay-at-home mom in Berea, Kentucky. Michelle and her husband Matt were very passionate about gathering as much information as possible prior to Matthew's birth. They chose to plan a natural childbirth in a hospital setting, and Michelle...

In this episode, I interview AnnaMarie and Drew Stoudenmire of Greenville, South Carolina. They are parents to Otto - their first baby - who at the time of recording was only seven weeks old. AnnaMarie and Drew took one of the first Evidence Based Birth Childbirth classes in the U.S., taught by EBB Instructor Mary Kury. They heard about the class from a nurse practitioner, who recommended Mary as...

In this episode, I interview EBB Instructors Cat LaPlante, Mary Kury, and Cindy Calvano about their experiences being among the first to teach the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class. Cat is a certified doula and certified childbirth educator serving the southern New Jersey and Philadelphia regions. Cindy is a certified doula, doula trainer, and lactation counselor serving North and Central New...

In this episode, we discuss the evidence on diagnosing gestational diabetes, and the use of the Glucola test. Evidence Based Birth just released a new Signature Article on this topic, and it is a subject that people are always wanting to know more about.  Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. In a normal pregnancy, your hormones can make it harder for your body t...

In this episode I review all the projects completed at Evidence Based Birth in 2018 - and what a year it was! From launching this podcast and an extensive series and workshop on Comfort Measures, to releasing new Signature Articles, webinars, a Higher Ed curriculum AND developing a new cutting-edge EBB childbirth class - what we accomplished in 2018 gives us incredible momentum for what we have pl...

In this episode I interview Courtney Carangian, a native to the Hawai'ian island of O'ahu. Courtney is an Evidence Based Birth Instructor, and is currently undergoing the DONA certification process to be a birth and postpartum doula. A mother of two children, Courtney has been married for seven years. She serves the birth and parenting community on O'ahu with doula services, lactation education, a...

In this episode I interview Ms. Charlotte Marie Shilo-Goudeau, one of three African American women in the state of Louisiana to hold the title of Licensed Certified Professional Midwife. She is the founder of "P.Y.O.B.E. (Pick Your Own Birthing Experience) with Mama CHAR's Birthing Service," located in the rural area of Maringouin, LA. Ms. Charlotte has committed her life work to serving women who...

In this episode, I interview Carissa Hipsher, a parent who was pressured into a cesarean for breech positioning. Carissa lives with her husband and three month old baby in Columbus, Ohio, and is working on obtaining her PhD in environmental science. She had a surprise breech positioning at the end of her pregnancy, and was pressured into a cesarean very quickly. After that experience, she decided...

In this episode I interview Krysta Dancy, licensed marriage and family therapist, certified birth doula, and Evidence Based Birth Instructor. Krysta has over 15 years of experience in the field of psychology. In her office in Roseville, CA, she provides compassionate and evidence-based care for a variety of fertility-related mental health issues, with special emphasis on trauma and birth (for both...

In this episode, I interview certified birth doula, postpartum doula, parent educator and breastfeeding counselor Nubia Jones. Nubia is a mother of five, and her journey of supporting women and families began 18 years ago during the birth of her first child. She went on to become involved in her local birth community, determined to help many families have positive and peaceful births, especially i...

Lisa Marie Sanchez Oxenham has been a birth worker for over 25 years, serving the last 10 as a licensed midwife. She works full time with her husband, Richard, who is currently pursuing his CPM. They specialize in water birth and past trauma, and travel all over Southern California to provide in-home care. Together, they work to include the partner in birth - especially men, who are often mis-port...