Baby Magic, Granny Sense: talking about women's bodies: reproductive rights, running, birth attendan...

I had a great chat with coach, shaman-in-training, endurance athlete, author and artist and all-around amazing woman! If you're interested in getting in touch you can find her here https://www.coaching.kristinafolcik.com/ and here https://www.instagram.com/dangergirl3.0/

Musings while running ... what do we do that can spiritual damage mother and baby during the birth process?

I'm just chatting here about the last 50 days of my training program to run 50 kilometers in February. How does a 67 year old woman train to run long distances? Listen up!

I'll be checking in every day as I work towards running 50k in the desert on February 17, 2024. Training, physical and mental. Emotional and psychic hurdles. What is happening in my life and my work in the birth world; my dreams and insights, and some tips and advice for older runners.

Vanessa is a spiritual midwife living in Nevada. She attends births, holds women's circles, and takes care of her many children. You can reach her here!

I had a lovely time meeting with Hillary. Some midwives in Mexico led her to me (note to self: get to Mexico!). She gave birth on her own terms in her living room one summer morning and she describes mothering, birthing, loving, traveling, and working with words. Her special message is: rest! You don't have to worry about failing to progress! Normal everyday women can and do give birth at home eve...

What do you do when you discover you're pregnant on the eve of a months-long sail through the southern seas? Get sailing! I had a fun chat with The Traveling Birthkeeper about her adventures, including birthing in a secret location in the southern pacific (listen up to find out where!) You can reach her here If you're interested in becoming a Traditional Birth Attendant, send me a shout! My course...

How one of the strongest women I know gave birth. Not for the fainthearted.

MC birthed twice with registered midwives. She shares how the births unfolded and has some things to say about psychological/emotional support when things don't unfold as planned.

I did a bunch of interviews of real women's birth stories. Here's one of them! Do you have a story you'd like to share?

This episode features Sally, who regularly runs very long distances, and works and plays in liminal spaces. Find out about her "Creating Circles" workshops, listen to her words of wisdom about running alone, ponder with us the nature of tenderness and holding space. Here's a link to explore Sally's circles: https://www.sallygolightly.co.uk/creating-circles-2/ and here's a link to one of her runnin...

"Lots of people, here in the northern hemisphere, celebrate today the longest day of the year, the day when the sun shines more than any other day. But this is what makes humans so compelling, so attractive, endearing, and profound. To me anyway. Because..."

This Mama lived in a place where it was impossible to find a legal midwife, so she hired an unregistered midwife to assist her for her first birth. Her subsequent transfer to the hospital and the "snakey" treatment she got there may be disturbing to some of you, but these stories need to be told. There is no reason why any laboring woman should be treated like garbage by their attendants. None at...

I've created a short labor mantra song that you can listen to - on a loop if you want! It will guide you during your labor, when you need to listen to the voice of an elder woman. Feel free to share this with anyone who may need strength during birth. Spread the love!

Erica Gipson is a mother, a scientist, a homeschooler, and a doula who has an interesting view of life, science, mothering, and intimacy. Listen up! And get a science lesson about how viruses work!

Is it legal to give birth on your own at home? Can you hire a midwife who works privately? What is the legal status of free birthing in Canada? Why should we care? What does it mean to work as a traditional birth attendant outside of the recognized medical system? Is there a community of women here in Canada, and elsewhere, who are birthing without doctors or midwives? Are there different kinds of...

I had a chat with Maria, who pledged to run or walk 20 k per week throughout her pregnancy to support Free to Run, an organization that promotes women's and girls' empowerment through spots in conflict-torn areas of the world. We chatted about pregnancy and ultrarunning, empowerment, and play... then she went into labour and gave birth!! ps: if you're inspired to donate to this excellent organizat...

My sound man isn't available so tune in next week for another great episode... but for now, listen to my musings about midwifery, the risk culture, womanhood, and fear. Don't forget to reach out if you have ANY questions about the podcast, birth, or if you want YOUR voice heard!

I spoke with Hannah Boudali about midwifery training, doula work, volunteer birth companions, love, burnout, and mothering. This is a woman who speaks from her heart!

My guest Rosemary shares her stories about her two babies' births. One was "risked out" of midwifery care and ended in surgery. After that disheartening experience, Rosemary chose to birth without a midwife or doctor present, and she shares her stories here. Am I promoting this approach to birth? No, actually. I believe that a woman needs and deserves a knowledgeable, wise, respectful birth attend...

I had a fun chat with lively Cat Earth, Courtney Piper a while ago but I've been taking it easy on the media front recently, so I'm getting our chat out there now, during the full Perseid showers, a new moon, and the upcoming 65th Birth Day of yours truly. I'm feeling the power, and the energy, and the magic that comes through in Courtney's words. There is joy there, hurt, love ... we're human, fo...

I like to introduce some of the mothers I meet over the months and years. Some of them like to share their birth stories; others only share their dreams and transformations, or their struggles and overcomings. Pamela's birth journey went differently than she expected: meet her here!

We like to present happy stories: powerful birth experiences, sovereign womanhood revealed, stories about finding truth and power in sometimes difficult unfoldings of events. Our biggest fear, as mothers, is to lose a child. Even if that loss happens at the beginning of pregnancy, it is something we feel deep in our bones and our hearts. My guest is a woman who wants to break the stigma of speakin...

Samantha, founder of BeBaby and mother of three (3 and under!) talks to us about choices, options for childbirth in Canada... and about her new project BeBaby!

Cesarean Awareness Month is April, and every month is a good month to learn about oppressive birth practices. In the past fifty years in affluent parts of the world, the cesarean birth rates have skyrocketed without any significant improvement of maternal or infant mortality or morbidity. Except ... wait ... mothers are suffering physically, emotionally and spiritually from the damage that is done...