Evidence Based Birth®

In this episode, I'm joined by Emilie Rodriguez and Guramrit LeBron, the dynamic duo behind Ashé Birthing Services and The Bridge Directory. Ashé Birthing Services is a collective of specially selected birth workers who provide full-spectrum care for families in the greater New York City area. Their approach blends evidence-based research with ancestral practices, offering families a unique indivi...

In this episode, I'm welcoming Eri Guajardo Johnson, the founder of Birth Bruja, a platform dedicated to decolonial approaches to healing and reproductive care. Eri, a queer, biracial, Latinx birth worker, specializes in supporting survivors of sexual violence and marginalized populations. We discuss the importance of centering Black and Indigenous wisdom, breaking down oppressive systems, and cre...

In this episode, I'm joined by Liesel Teen, a seasoned L&D nurse and childbirth educator and the creator of Mommy Labor Nurse, where she reveals the common myths surrounding pregnancy and birth.   Learn about the shocking misconceptions, such as babies running out of room, the impact of baby size on vaginal delivery, the importance of partner education, and the need for postpartum care. She also d...

In this episode, we delve into the latest evidence-based information on skin-to-skin care in the operating room after a Cesarean. I'm joined by co-host Sara Ailshire, a doctoral candidate in anthropology and the 2023 EBB Research Fellow, and we explore the history, benefits, and barriers surrounding this practice. Discover how skin-to-skin care positively influences lactation, stabilizes newborns,...

In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Nastassia Harris, a registered nurse and international board-certified lactation consultant, to discuss her extensive experience in the field of maternal and infant health. Dr. Harris shares her journey into this vital profession, highlighting her passion for improving breastfeeding rates in the Black community and eliminating racial disparities in maternal an...

In this episode, I'm joined by Siri Lachmansingh, who shares her remarkable journey of pregnancy and childbirth while managing type 1 diabetes.   Siri delves into the unique challenges and considerations for pregnant individuals with diabetes, including blood sugar management and medical monitoring. Siri also takes us through the choices she made during her induction process and the empowering mom...

In this episode, I'm talking with Malisa Dekker, a Postpartum Doula and Chef based in Brooklyn, New York, about her profound journey through two contrasting birth and postpartum experiences that shaped her passion for postpartum wellness. Malisa's first birth took place during the tumultuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic, where interventions and a lack of support left her feeling disconnected and...

Content Warning: postpartum hemorrhage, GBS Positive, antibiotics for GBS,   On this episode of the EBB podcast, I talk with Katrina Hull, a graduate of the EBB childbirth class about her positive hospital water birth story.   Katrina Hull is a former high school math and engineering teacher with over a decade of experience in the classroom. Her passion for education and entrepreneurship has led h...

I am so excited to share today's episode of Evidence Based Birth® podcast with you! Today, I am bringing you an interview with Maria Berglund, the founder of In Kind Boxes, a nonprofit organization with a mission to help families thrive after birth with a baby shower gift that gives back.   This episode is coming out just in time for our listeners who are doulas and midwives to apply for In Kind's...

On this episode of the EBB Podcast, I interview Jessica Diggs, midwife, doula mentor and co-founder of Centered about creating a sustainable career in birth work.   Jessica is a licensed midwife working in a solo practice in Los Angeles. Jessica supports people and families through holistic gynecological care, home birth services, and conception support. Jessica has a skill and love for making chi...

In this episode, I'm joined by Hollis Wakefield, also known as The NICU Doula. Join us as we delve into a crucial topic: how to help NICU families find empowerment and healing during their challenging journeys. Hollis is a former NICU parent turned birth worker, educator, and family advocate, and she shares her own powerful story of navigating a traumatic birth, early delivery, and the emotional r...

On today's podcast, I talk with Tania Silva Meléndez  and Tamara Trinidad González, CPM, birth workers and Evidence Based Birth® Instructors about giving birth and midwifery care in Puerto Rico.   Tania Silva Meléndez  is a certified birth, postpartum, and abortion doula serving families in Puerto Rico since 2009. She's also a certified childbirth educator and breastfeeding/chestfeeding educator a...

On this episode of the Evidence Based Birth podcast, I talk with Marea Goodman of Restore Midwifery and Ray Rachlin of Refuge Midwifery, all about their work and their new book Baby Making For Everybody- A Guide for LGBTQ+ and Solo Parents.   Marea Goodman, CPM, pronouns she/her/they, is the licensed midwife specializing in pregnancy, birth, postpartum and conception care for the LGBTQ+ community....

On today's episode we are bringing back one of the most popular Signature Article episodes on the Evidence on Birthing Positions. Listen and learn more about: How upright birthing positions benefit pregnant people and babies, How common are upright birthing positions and understanding your options, Which birthing positions are best supported by evidence, and, For people with epidurals, which birth...

Content note: We strongly encourage you to listen to EBB Podcast Episode 277 The Evidence on PROM and check out our recently updated Signature Article on PROM here  before listening to this episode.    Content Warnings: Discussion of viability, complications with preterm birth, causes of preterm birth, and racism.    On this episode of the EBB Podcast, we bring you a mini episode on the research o...

On this episode of the EBB podcast, I talk with Nekisha Killings, IBCLC and founder of The Melanated Mammary Atlas®, all about cultural humility and educating clinicians and birth workers about identifying and diagnosing conditions that present in Black and Brown breasts/chests.   Nekisha Killings, holds a master's in public health (MPH) and is an international board certified lactation consultant...

In this episode of the EBB Podcast, I talk with EBB Childbirth Class graduates, Dr. Maria Rosselson and Nim Guttman their surprise pregnancy, and equally surprising home birth.   Dr. Maria Rosselson is a physician practicing as a board certified ophthalmologist in the Chicago area. Her husband, Nim Guttman, is an architect. They've been married since 2016 and live with their dog, Asher.   Maria an...

On this episode of the EBB podcast, we interview Hakima Payne, founder and executive director of Uzazi Village, about her creation of the Village Circle, an innovative Afrocentric model of prenatal and postpartum care.    Hakima Payne, holds a bachelor's in nursing and a master's in nursing education. She is the founder of Uzazi Village, a nonprofit working to eliminate maternal health disparities...

On this episode of the EBB Podcast, I am so excited to bring you brand new, evidence on premature rupture of membranes (PROM) at term!      We are releasing today's episode to celebrate the update of our Signature Article on the Evidence on PROM.     In today's episode, I am going to cover the following topics related to PROM: What are the membranes, and what does it mean to say they've "ruptured"...

July 26, 2023 - For today's episode, we are highlighting one of our favorite podcast episodes with the replay of an interview with Lily Nichols, RDN, all about nutrition and real food in pregnancy. Content warning: gestational diabetes, high-risk pregnancies, food insecurities, "failed diet therapy", NICU, and interventions On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Lily Nichols, RDN, about nutr...

On this episode of the EBB podcast, we are talking with Avital Norman Nathman, author and freelance writer about trends in birth and parenthood in the US.   Avital is a freelance writer and editor who focuses her work on motherhood, maternal health, gender and reproductive rights and justice. Her writing, which places a feminist lens on a variety of topics, including motherhood, maternal health, g...

In today's episode, we talk with Emily Helgerson, an EBB Childbirth Class Graduate about how taking the EBB Childbirth class helped her navigate transferring from a birth center to the hospital after experiencing premature rupture of membranes while being positive for Group B Strep.   Emily Helgerson holds a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education in Spanish, with a minor in Italian, from the Uni...

On this episode of the EBB podcast, we talk with Michelle Browder, artist, activist, and the creator of the Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsy Monument in Montgomery, Alabama, established to honor the three Mothers of Gynecology.   Michelle Browder is a nationally recognized artist, activist, and amplifier, bridging the racial divide through art, history, and conversation. Michelle's artwork has been exhibi...

In this episode of the EBB Podcast, we dive into the updated research on Nitrous Oxide. I discuss the following topics:  What is Nitrous Oxide?  How is it used? How commonly is Nitrous Oxide used around the world?  How does Nitrous Oxide impact overall satisfaction in birth? What are the benefits of Nitrous Oxide? What are the risks of using Nitrous Oxide?  And lastly, as always, we will discuss t...

In this episode we talk with Jessica King, an EBB Childbirth Class graduate, about their journey to parenthood and the importance of finding support networks before, during, and after pregnancy.     Jessica grew up in Upstate New York and then moved to Boston to get her Master's in architecture. While in Boston, she met her wife and fellow upstate New Yorker, Sarah. They started working on creatin...