Back to Basics Podcast

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode we have Kai Njeri. A birth worker and womb ecologist based in Tanzania, she shares how her journey to healing an autoimmune condition led her into birth and the work she does with wombs of the world in training doulas and community workers is changing the landscape of birth in her community.  We unpack what womb ecology is, how women are groomed from their...

Send us Fan Mail This week we get to hear what it takes to be a good birth partner from Barry.  Last week Nicole shared their birth from her perspective, now we have her husband Barry sharing what the journey was like for him.  He shares honestly about how men can show up more in birth and pregnancy and not just be bystanders. What it was like taking the lead from his wife in the birth choices the...

Send us Fan Mail Nicole has been passionate about women's health so when she got pregnant, she just knew that she was going to be an intentional mother.  This looked like being intentional about her nutrition in pregnancy because preeclampsia runs in her family, it also looked like choosing a homebirth because it aligned with what she found important for her birth.  Like many women choosing h...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have yet another beautiful set of birth stories! In this episode, we sit down with Hiwote whose journey through birth has been anything but straightforward. As an African woman in the American medical system, she had to learn what it truly means to advocate for yourself in spaces that were not built with you in mind. She opens up about her first birth and the trauma it le...

Send us Fan Mail Our first episode for 2026 is a powerful one with Muthoni. She always knew she wanted to be a mum and while excited to be pregnant with her first child, the pregnancy came with hyperemesis gravidarum. In spite of this Noni never gave up on her dream for a positive birth, she speaks to what it was like making adjustments to her birth plan when needed.  Muthoni also shares openly ab...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode if for anyone about to give birth and feeling helpless and scared of what birth will be like.  Neema and I delve deep into what you can do to help your labor go smoother. We have so much more control of our experience of labor than we have been allowed to believe and there is so much of how we approach birth that just simply makes birth HARDER so get comfy and...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode we have Vivian's second birth story.  After a traumatic first birth experience and hospital trauma from walking her father through dialysis, Vivian was called to doing things differently the second time round. However, after having no luck finding a provider to support her in the hospital, it led her towards homebirth which felt right with her.  Her jo...

Send us Fan Mail  Happy New year Everyone! On today's episode, we are talking all things homeschooling in the Kenyan context with homeschooling mum, Mwende Kithinji. She's got 3 kids and she shares her journey into homeschool with her first, unlearning 844 mentality, the costs and daily schedules and the changes being a homeschool parent has had on her.  Enjoy To connect with Mwende: Ins...

Send us Fan Mail Follow us on socials  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backtobasicspodke?igsh=NmExNngzenJ2OGV5&utm_source=qr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruby.mamas/ Want to share your empowering story?  Fill this form : https://forms.gle/Ja6BnTS59VQPnDCw5

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is a catch up with Nicole and what's been going on in the Kenyan birth landscape.  Follow us on socials  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/backtobasicspodke?igsh=NmExNngzenJ2OGV5&utm_source=qr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruby.mamas/ Want to share your empowering story?  Fill this form : https://forms.gle/Ja6BnTS59VQPnDCw5

Send us Fan Mail Join us on today's episode as we unpack pain during labor.  We touch on everything from what causes women to feel pain during the birth process, ecstatic birth to easy and simple ways to work WITH your body during birth.  Got any hacks for birth we missed? Share in the comments and plug some mamas to be! To Connect: Nicole Instagram: Email: Neema  Instagram: Follow us on soci...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode was inspired by Black Maternal Health week and International Day of the Midwife.  We speak midwifery as a solution not just for better health outcomes but the cost benefit on governments and societies and the satisfaction of birthing women.  Bringing midwives back to the forefront of maternal care is the answer for thriving, women and families. Let's work...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode we have Vivian Maina, a doula, entrepreneur and mother of two.  In part 1 she shares her traumatic first birth experience which led to an unnecessary c section and the lack of care and support she received in the birth and postpartum, how the challenges she faced pushed her to find an alternative to the poor care for her next birth.  Looking to connect with...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode I speak with Terry Nzaumi.  Terry's a doula, childbirth educator and social worker based out in Canada but serving pregnant women in Kenya. We speak about her journey into birth work and her own birth experiences that sparked a fire for supporting  women through their birth, pregnancies and postpartum experiences.  We also share some tips to think abou...

Send us Fan Mail On today's episode we have Ijai.  She's a mom of two, a pharmacist and wife. She shares her two vastly different births, with her first she had the typical hospital birth experience which wound up in surgery and went to to have a difficult recovery.  So when it came to her second pregnancy she was determined not to go through the same however, she struggled to find a pro...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have the final part of my birth story. In the episode, I share my homebirth experience, my labor lasted 20 hours and it was intense but pain free.  We also talk about the steps I took to have a smooth forth trimester and the ways I supported my body's healing.  To Connect with Jenelle: Website: https://www.fgswellness.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fgswelln...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode I share part 1 of my birth story, Jenelle agreed to play host for the day so we swapped roles. In the episode I share my experience with taking charge of my own maternal care and having a non medicalized pregnancy. The three year preparation I did for birth and motherhood, how I prepared physically and mentally for birth and the forth trimester and load...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have Shabanu. She's a mother, tarot reader and candle magic practitioner. We talk about candle magic, tarot and akashic records. How she got into her work and the classes she teaches. Shabanu also shares some simple tips for anyone getting started with spirituality and magic; as well as how to incorporate your sign and birth chart in your work. To Connect with Shaban...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have Ofentse Tipa. She's a South African youtuber, love coach and mother of one based in Kenya. She always knew she wanted to be a mother and after living with her pastor who had three homebirths herself, she knew that was what she wanted when the time came. Although her homebirth did not go as planned, she received great care from her midwife and emphasizes the poin...

Send us Fan Mail Today's episode is a special one, I have my mother and aunt in law taking over. They will be talking about my aunt's entry into midwifery and her 6  birth stories which are a mix of hospital and home births.  Her story is important because most of the initiatives are directed at reducing maternal mortality by moving more women into hospitals and away from TBAs. This is d...

Send us Fan Mail  Today we have the final part of Jenelle's Birth Story, she talks about how she worked with her body during the pushing stage. Her hectic early postpartum period as she moved countries, how she took care of herself in this time and how her husband showed up for her in this time  To connect with Jenelle: Website: http:/www.fgswellness.com Instagram:  To connect with Ruby Mamas...

Send us Fan Mail In today's Episode we are continuing with Jenelle's birth story. In this one she share's what she did to prepare for labor, the lack of birth options for women in Kenya. She also tells of her fast, sweet birth. To Connect with Jenelle: Website:https:// www.fgswellness.com Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/fgswellness To Connect with Ruby Mamas: Website: https://ww...

Send us Fan Mail SEASON 2 IS HERE! After a long break and a ridiculous amount of procrastination on my part, the second season is here and we're kicking it off with Jenelle from FGS Wellness. She's been a guest before ( link for her episode is at the bottom) and this time is here to share her birth story. Jenelle speaks of how healing her emotions was a big part of regulating her hormone...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have part 2 and the final episode for season 1 with Sally Kuria. She shares about the shock of having to care for a little human. The complications she experienced once they got home, we talk about accepting that nipple exposure comes with the territory, breastfeeding covers  and our experiences with baby's sleep. My daughter joins us for a feed and we chat about our...

Send us Fan Mail Today we have mom, podcaster and communications consultant, Sally Kuria. She shares her birth and postpartum experience, as well as the hilarious way she navigated  the effects of being pregnant during a pandemic. Planning for a baby and still being caught by surprise with the pregnancy. To connect with Sally:  Podcast: Mama Tales Instagram: @sallymugure Email: mamatalespod@gmail....