The EngagED Midwife

Send us Fan Mail A birth control pill “decision” can feel overwhelming until you strip it down to the parts that actually change. From the exhibit hall at a packed midwife meeting, we share the exact mental checklist we use for choosing a combined oral contraceptive pill without getting lost in brand names, colors, or marketing. If you’ve ever thought, “There are too many OCPs to learn,” this conv...

Send us Fan Mail A postpartum depression screen can be the start of the story, not the diagnosis and that difference can save a life. Recording live from the annual meeting in Kansas City, Cara and Missi dig into postpartum bipolar disorder and why it is so often missed, even by experienced clinicians who are doing their best with limited time and fragmented care. We walk through what bipolar diso...

Send us Fan Mail Constipation is common, frustrating, and way more nuanced than “did you go today.” We talk through what constipation really means in real life: straining, hard pellet-like stool, feeling like you can’t fully empty, and how meds and life changes can quietly shift your baseline. We also share the cut-and-dry definition (fewer than three bowel movements a week) while reminding you th...

Send us Fan Mail Bleeding in early pregnancy can turn a routine visit into a high-stakes clinical puzzle, and the worst move we can make is pretending one lab or one ultrasound tells the whole story. Cara and Missi walk through early pregnancy loss and miscarriage management in a step-by-step way that’s built for real practice and for exam prep, starting with the terminology that shapes your diffe...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever leaked a little when you laughed, sneezed, worked out, or yelled from the sidelines, you already know how fast “no big deal” can turn into planning your whole day around bathrooms and backup clothes. We’re Missi and Cara, and we’re putting urinary incontinence on the table with equal parts honesty and clinical clarity, because leakage is common but it’s not normal,...

Send us Fan Mail “Survivor” sounds like a finish line. For many people, it feels more like a label you’re handed while you’re still trying to process what just happened. Cara and Missi get personal about cancer survivorship, using Missi’s breast cancer journey to talk about the part nobody can fully prepare you for: living in the in-between, where every new ache can trigger scanxiety and “life aft...

Send us Fan Mail Sex can change fast after birth, and it can change again in perimenopause and menopause, but that doesn’t mean you’re broken. We dig into why libido, arousal, and comfort often shift when estrogen drops postpartum and later in life, and how that hormone reality shows up as vaginal dryness, painful sex (dyspareunia), and the sense that your body isn’t responding the way it used to....

Send us Fan Mail A newborn arrives fast, the dates are fuzzy, and everyone in the room is sure they know how far along the pregnancy was. Then the baby tells a different story. That’s where a solid gestational age assessment and real bedside pattern recognition can change the entire plan in minutes. We talk through the Ballard assessment in a way that’s built for busy midwives, midwifery students,...

Send us Fan Mail Trying to conceive can turn into a crash course in hormones overnight, and the medication list can feel like a different language. We slow it down and translate what fertility medications actually do in the body, why midwives still need to understand them even when we are not the prescribers, and how to support patients through the stress that often comes with IUI, IVF, and “why i...

Send us Fan Mail Milk supply can feel mysterious when you’re tired, sore, and staring at a hungry newborn. We sit down and make lactogenesis practical by walking through what’s happening in the breast during pregnancy, what flips hormonally right after the placenta delivers, and why “milk coming in” usually peaks around days 2 to 5. Along the way, we translate the science into the questions we hea...

Send us Fan Mail What if the biggest driver of a healthy pregnancy isn’t found in a chart, but in a bus schedule, a work shift, or a zip code? In this episode, Cara and Missi pull back the curtain on social determinants of health and talk candidly about why late or no prenatal care rarely means a patient doesn’t care—and how midwives can meet these barriers head-on. We break down the big five doma...

Send us Fan Mail Day-one decisions shape a newborn’s first week, and small changes can prevent big problems. In this episode, Cara and Missi dig into what’s truly evidence-based now—delayed bathing to protect vernix and temperature, uninterrupted skin-to-skin to reduce energy burn, and clear thresholds for when to check and treat low blood sugar. Along the way, we unpack how updated NRP guidance s...

Send us Fan Mail The ocean isn’t magic, but it helps the healing. We went to the beach with a full slate of work—course updates, new cases, retreat planning—and a fuller heart, talking honestly about what it takes to recover and what it means to care well. Missi is four weeks post‑mastectomy, relearning daily life without lifting, reaching, or rushing. Cara remembers months on bed rest, the longin...

Send us Fan Mail Ready to land a midwifery job that actually fits your philosophy, pace, and life? We open up about our own first-job journeys—what went right, what we’d change, and how each step shaped our expectations. From researching practice models to reading culture, we walk through the practical prep that matters most: knowing how the team truly functions, how midwives share call, and how c...

Send us Fan Mail A new season meets a new reality: we’re grateful for 100K downloads, proud of students who crossed the finish line after multiple tries, and honest about a recent breast cancer diagnosis that changed the rhythm of our days. Missi walks through the surprise pathology, why we chose an aggressive plan, and what bilateral mastectomy and a forced season of stillness look like for a do‑...

Send us Fan Mail A packed hallway at the ACNM Annual Meeting turned into the perfect backdrop for a clear, compassionate deep dive on adolescent gynecology. We talk candidly about what really helps teens feel safe in care: transparent consent, real confidentiality, and avoiding unnecessary pelvic exams. From there, we walk through the high-yield topics every clinician faces with young patients—irr...

Send us Fan Mail A fracture rarely starts with drama. It’s often a quiet misstep, a stumble off a curb, or a slip on a throw rug—and that’s exactly why bone health deserves our full attention. We’re taking a clear, practical tour through osteoporosis and osteopenia: what they are, why they’re “silent,” and how to get ahead of them with smart screening, daily habits, and targeted treatments. We unp...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder how midwifery knowledge makes its way from practice to publication? This episode pulls back the curtain on the world of midwifery publishing with two luminaries who shape how we learn and share our profession's wisdom. We're joined by Dr. Melissa Avery, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, and Dr. Julia Philippi, lead author of...

Send us Fan Mail The ACNM hallways are still buzzing in our heads, our voices are scratchy from a thousand hugs, and we’re curled up with a year’s worth of holy-grail favorites to share. This is our practical, joyful guide to small upgrades that make real days better. If you’re looking for thoughtful gifts, travel allies, or daily comforts that punch above their weight, this roundup is our best-of...

Send us Fan Mail A stomach that feels “off” can be easy to brush aside—until it shouldn’t be. In this episode, Cara and Missi dig into the quiet warning signs of ovarian disease, separating the everyday from the rare but dangerous ovarian pathology. You’ll learn how to read the body’s cues using the BEAT mnemonic (Bloating, Early satiety, Abdominal/pelvic pain, Trouble with urination or bowels), w...

Send us Fan Mail Midwifery is so much more than clinical care. It's about advocacy, education, research, community, and creating the future of healthcare. In this illuminating conversation with ACNM Vice President Dr. Alexis "Lexi" Dunn-Amore and CEO Dr. Michelle Monroe, we explore the heart and soul of the American College of Nurse-Midwives and why every midwife—from student to sea...

Send us Fan Mail It’s easy for healthcare providers to feel overwhelmed by medication safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In this episode, Cara and Missi take this complex topic and make it simple. They start by highlighting a common issue: many clinicians still use the outdated FDA risk categories (A, B, C, D, X), which were replaced in 2015 by the more detailed Pregnancy and Lactation Lab...

Send us Fan Mail Feeling emotionally drained, cynical about your work, or lacking professional fulfillment? You're not alone. Burnout affects healthcare providers at staggering rates, with midwives facing unique vulnerabilities due to the intensity of our profession. Drawing from personal experience and evidence-based strategies, in this episode, Cara and Missi unpack the differences between...

Send us Fan Mail The cervical cancer screening landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and it's time everyone knows about it. From the revolutionary PAP test that changed women's healthcare decades ago to today's primary HPV screening methods, we're witnessing a transformation that promises less invasive care with better outcomes. Did you know that high-risk HPV causes 100% of...

Send us Fan Mail The digital revolution continues to transform healthcare, and midwifery is no exception. As we launch Season 12 of The Engaged Midwife Podcast (approaching an incredible 100,000 downloads!), Missi and Cara dive into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and its applications for midwifery students and clinicians. From study techniques to clinical decision-making, AI offe...