I have spent the past four+ years devouring Birth information!
Books, Podcasts, Classes! The more I learned, the more I fell in love with birth, and the less I feared!
You Don’t have four years to dedicate?… Here is a short cut!
First time moms are bombarded with so many Decisions to make…
(What bottle is best? Midwife or OB? Delayed cord clamping? What style swaddle will help my baby sleep? … The list literally goes on FOREVER!)
Who can you turn to?
Google will have one article telling you to rest and never elevate your heart rate, and another article that telling you, that you should be doing hip openers, workouts, and long walks every day… “or else”.
Asking your doctor/medical midwife isn’t that simple either. It’s hard to know if they are up-to-date on the medical research (most are not), and if their recommendations are in your best interest, or if it’s standard procedure.
For a personalized deep dive into what feels best for you, check out my Journey to Your Dream Birth program!
Free resources to put you in the driver seat.
We cannot make informed decisions if we don’t know all the options!
Podcasts
△ "Newborn First Breath" : Free Birth Society Podcast. It is a rare opportunity to learn from an Elder Midwife with as much worldly experience as Sister Morningstar. This is a beautiful discussion about a baby’s first breath. One of the most common fears/misconceptions is that babies often need medical help to breathe once they are born. She helps shine some light on this very important moment in the birth process.
△ #57 Hehe Stewart: The Gift of Concierge Birth Support, on The Holistic OBGYN. Getting started on understanding birth inside the medical system, including hospital policies, your role in making choices, and where to start with your birth plan.
△ #31 Physiological Birth with Kemi Johnson, on The Hypnobirthing Podcast. Kemi Johnson is one of the most authentic wise women that I have found! She has all the medical knowledge, and has supported hundreds of birth's outside of the system. I cannot say enough about her. They discuss the safety of home birth and more.
△ "The Astonishing American History of Cesarean Sections" on Uncivilized. Kinda a gnarly episode, (early surgery isn't pretty) but kinda a MUST HEAR episode also! In the 1700's, before birth was medicalized, maternal death rate was only 1/2 of 1%. It wasn't until the 1970s that c sections started to become more common, and the rate in the US is currently around 30-33%.
Photography by: Susan Baker
△ "Breath" by James Nestor , #1506 on the Joe Rogan Experience. Not about birth at all, but an amazing episode on breathing. It is so relevant to the magic of our bodies, and breath is one of the best tools for navigating birth naturally.
Videos
△ Lecture by Dr. Howard Schubiner, understanding pain in our mind and body, how neuo-pathways work, and why birth will likely be painful IF we think it should be.
△ Overview of a whole body and mind approach to birth preparation! You likely haven't heard birth explained this way before! This is exactly why I created my Journey to Your Dream Birth Program!
Birth Workers to Follow
△ Kemi Johnson @kemibirthjoyjohnson Medical midwife gone underground midwife! She tells it like it is, she is sweet, passionate, hilarious, and extremely experienced.
△ Elder Authentic Midwife, Sister Morningstar
△ HeHe Stewart @tranquilitybyhehe Doula and Birth Educator. She is kinda a one stop shop for all the stuff you might be wondering about birth, including how to know your legal rights in the medical system. She creates cute and fun reels, and she also has a podcast called “The Birth Lounge Podcast”.
△ For information on how to stay active/take care of our bodies while pregnant and in postpartum, I’d check out @radiant.pt, @bodyreadymethod, @adelaidemeadow_, @mamastefit, and @thelaurenohayon
△ Dr. Aviva Romm, @dr.avivaromm - She acts as a wonderful bridge and guide to give perspective from an approachable perspective.
△ And of course, one of my biggest teachers Emilee Saldaya, founder of @freebirthsociety - There are endless amounts of powerful and positive birth stories here!