Transformed by Birth

In this episode, we explore pregnancy and parenthood through the lens of identity, embodiment, and the ways our relationship to strength is reshaped during profound life transitions. In conversation with Peloton instructor, author, and advocate Robin Arzón, we reflect on how pregnancy interrupts productivity culture and invites a deeper redefinment of worth, power, and presence. Together, we talk...

In this episode, we explore pregnancy and early parenthood as profound inner transformations, not just physical or logistical milestones. In conversation with Vedic meditation teacher, veteran doula, and dear friend Patti Quintero, we look at how the nervous system shapes our experience of conception, pregnancy, birth, and life with a new baby. Together, we talk about stress, regulation, and the q...

In this solo end-of-year episode, I share the story of La Loba, the Bone Woman, as a guiding metaphor for times of transition and reflection. Through this myth, we explore what it means to gather the bones of our lived experience, to honor the pause before change, and to wait for the song that brings vitality back into what we have built. This episode invites you to slow down at the threshold of t...

In this episode, I sit down with doula, educator, and longtime friend Lori Bregman for a grounded and heartfelt conversation about birth as a rite of passage and the deeper role of the doula. Together, we explore how pregnancy and birth invite profound inner change, and how support rooted in presence, authenticity, and trust can shape not only the birth experience but also the transition into pare...

In this episode, we explore early parenthood as both a practical learning curve and a quiet rite of passage. In conversation with longtime postpartum doula and baby wearing expert Laura Brown, we look at how everyday decisions like baby carriers, feeding support, and leaving the house often carry deeper questions about identity, safety, and the longing to be a good parent. We talk about how fear-b...

In this episode, we explore VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) as both an evidence-based option and a deeply personal rite of passage. Together, we look at how surgical birth, primary cesareans, and labels like "failure to progress" shape future choices, and how tools such as VBAC calculators can offer clarity while also limiting possibilities. This conversation invites you to meet VBAC with curi...

In this episode, I sit down with midwife and storyteller Nicole Morales, LM, CPM for a soulful conversation about birth, story, and the courage required to meet the unknown. We explore how birth unfolds far beyond cervical measurements and timelines, and how physiology, culture, and personal history weave together to shape every experience. Nicole shares her perspective on restorative midwifery, t...

In this episode, I sit down with trans Papa Herbie Huff for an eye-opening and deeply human conversation about pregnancy beyond the gender binary. Together, we explore what it means to carry a baby (twins even!) while living outside traditional gender expectations, how identity and physiology intersect, and what truly affirming prenatal care looks like. Herbie invites us into the realities of bein...

I'm joined by mindfulness teacher and parenting mentor Hunter Clarke-Fields for a heartfelt exploration of mindful communication. Together, we look at what it truly means to listen, to acknowledge, and to meet one another with presence. We talk about the power of reflective listening, the relief that comes when emotions are named instead of dismissed, and the deep human longing felt by children an...

What does liberation in birth really mean? In this episode, author and educator Sabia Wade, founder of Birthing Liberation, invites us to explore how power, consent, and even kink shape the way we give and receive care. Together, we trace how the body becomes both a mirror and a teacher, revealing our beliefs about worth, control, and freedom. This is a conversation about reclaiming the body as sa...

Big rites of passage invite big feelings. In this episode, I sit with psychotherapist Molly Nourmand, LMFT, to explore perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and the emotional landscape that so many parents quietly navigate. We talk about how to recognize when worry becomes disruption, why practical support matters, and how community loosens shame. You'll hear ways to build a real village, plan your...

What does it mean to reclaim birth as a sacred, embodied act? In this episode, somatic coach and Ecstatic Birth founder Sheila Kamara Hay shares how reconnecting with your body, and your pleasure, can shift birth from something to endure into something deeply transformative. Together, we explore the intersection of sexuality, spirituality, and birth, and why honoring your body as a sacred vessel m...

Big rites of passage invite big feelings. In this episode, I sit with Stacey Ramsower to map the terrain of postpartum rage and grief, offer grounded somatic practices, and show how clarity and community can turn survival into support. We reframe rage as a signal for connection, practice titration to build nervous-system capacity, and use expressive arts, movement, and voice to move emotion withou...

Why is "trust your intuition" offered so often and explained so rarely? In this solo episode, I tell the Slavic fairytale of Vasilisa the Beautiful and journey with listeners into the forest to meet Baba Yaga—the wild hag who tests, teaches, and returns us to our own inner knowing. We explore intuition not as a switch to flip, but as a practice to tend: feeding the tiny "doll in your pocket," sett...

In this episode, I'm joined by Dan Doty, fatherhood guide and founder of Fatherhood Unlocked, to explore the rite of passage dads experience as they cross the threshold into parenthood. We talk about the "skills gap" many men face, why today's dads are called to show up in ways their fathers often weren't, and how this transition reshapes identity, partnership, and legacy. Dan shares how fatherhoo...

Why is matrescence, the developmental transition to motherhood, so often invisible and unnamed? In this episode, I talk with Victoria Trinko and Julia Sarewitz, co-founders of Seed Mother, about the rite of passage of matrescence, why naming this shift matters, and how ritual, resilience, and community can support mothers through the challenges and growth of becoming a parent. Together, we shine a...

Why is it so hard to advocate for yourself in birth even when you know what you want? In this episode, I talk with HeHe, a doula and educator and host of The Birth Lounge, about how cultural conditioning shapes our ability to speak up, why advocacy is a skill we can practice, and ways to protect your birth space with curiosity, confidence, and support. LEARN MORE

Why does motherhood feel so hard when you're doing everything "right"? Beth Berry, author of Motherwhelmed: Challenging Norms, Untangling Truths, and Restoring Our Worth to the World, reveals the truth: it's not you, it's the system. In this candid conversation, Beth explains why modern mothers are drowning in a society with few real villages, her breakthrough realization about raising "five whole...

Why do most couples struggle after the baby arrives? Relationship coaches Alexandra Roxo and Eli Buren, parents themselves, share practical "micro-practices" for maintaining intimacy when you're exhausted and overwhelmed. Learn how to create a protective "cocoon" around your partnership, why scheduling connection isn't unromantic but essential, and the two skills Alexandra wishes she'd developed b...

What if returning to work after having a baby is actually a rite of passage that transforms you into an "advocacy ninja"? Employment lawyer Daphne Delvaux, founder of the nation's first law firm for mothers' rights at work, reveals why this transition can feel "violent," how to advocate for your needs without losing your job, and surprising truths about U.S. family leave laws that might shock you....

What does it take to stay grounded as a parent in the age of information overload? In this episode, postpartum doula Brandi Jordan shares how to reconnect with your internal compass, let go of the "shoulds," and create a family manifesto rooted in your unique values. Together, we explore identity shifts, community care, and why calm isn't just a feeling. It is a powerful force that can guide your...

What truly changes when we become mothers? In this episode, Jungian analyst and author Lisa Marciano, LCSW, joins me for a rich conversation about the deep transformation that unfolds in early parenthood. Together, we explore how motherhood reshapes identity, invites shadow work, and challenges us to grow in ways we never imagined. From the grief of lost possibilities to the grounding power of pre...

What happens when midwives and OBs truly work together? In this episode, midwife Sarah Howard and OB-GYN Dr. Bente Kaiser share how their partnership at Moxie Birth shows a new way forward. They talk about what real collaboration looks like, why so many providers have never witnessed undisturbed birth, and how families can reclaim agency by trusting the process. Tune in to hear how working togethe...

In this first episode, Britta Bushnell, PhD, author, mythologist, and childbirth educator, invites you into the heart of Transformed by Birth. After more than 25 years supporting families, Britta shares why she created this podcast and what makes it different from typical parenting or pregnancy shows. She explores the idea of pregnancy, birth, and new parenthood as profound rites of passage, weavi...

Transformed by Birth is a podcast that goes far beyond due dates and diaper bags. Hosted by Britta Bushnell, PhD, mythologist, award-winning childbirth educator, and author of Transformed by Birth, this show explores the profound rite of passage that is pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Each episode offers meaningful conversations and real stories that honor the deep transformation parents e...