Evidence Based Birth®

Evidence Based Birth has just released a new Signature Article about routine male newborn circumcision. We have been receiving requests to cover this topic for years; I know that opinions on newborn circumcision are diverse and very emotionally charged. In this podcast episode I explore circumcision in detail, including discussion on relevant human anatomy, where circumcision came from, why some parents choose non-religious circumcision today, how common it is around the world, and the procedure itself.  I also review the evidence on circumcision for infection and disease prevention (including the limitations of that evidence), the potential health risks and complications that can occur during and soon after circumcision, and I discuss the evidence in light of ethics and human rights. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and

In this week's Bonus Book Update podcast, I cover the overarching theme of Babies Are Not Pizzas. It was a surprising realization for me at the end of the writing process! What is the book about? Mainly, preventable birth trauma in a broken health care system. This is a complex topic. Listen as I cover all the nuances of this theme, and reveal to you some of the other areas of exploration in the story. RESOURCES: Get all the updates on my new book, Babies Are Not Pizzas! Click here to get on the wait list. Follow Evidence Based Birth on Facebook and Instagram to see the newly-released cover image for Babies are Not Pizzas!

In this episode, I interview Cristen Pascucci, founder of Birth Monopoly, about respectful disagreement when talking about childbirth topics. After the birth of her son in 2011, Cristen left a career in public affairs to study American maternity care and women’s rights. From 2012 to 2016, she served as vice president of Improving Birth, spearheading a multi-year grassroots media strategy to get America’s maternity care crisis into the national news. She also created a legal advocacy hotline for pregnant women, and she began raising awareness around obstetric violence through consumer campaigns. Cristen has helped organize, strategize, and publicize major lawsuits related to obstetric violence, and is co-creator of the Exposing the Silence Project and host of the Birth Allowed Radio podcast. At Birth Monopoly, Cristen advocates for a free maternity care market, working closely with leading national advocates, organizations and birth lawyers, as well as educating the public and health care providers about the

I am thrilled to announce that we have released the cover image for my upcoming book, Babies are Not Pizzas! Check it out on Facebook and Instagram! In this week's Bonus Book Update podcast, I reveal some of the final details of the production process - and the start of our book launch! Listen to hear the official targeted release date... RESOURCES: Get all the updates on my new book, Babies Are Not Pizzas! Click here to get on the wait list. Follow Evidence Based Birth on Facebook and Instagram to see the newly-released cover image for Babies are Not Pizzas! book waitlist evidencebasedbirth.com/book

In this week's Bonus Book Update podcast, I tell you all about the route I chose to publish Babies Are Not Pizzas. These days, book publishing has been democratized, and anyone can self-publish a book outside of the traditional system. You know me - I did all the research to determine the best publication route for me and for Evidence Based Birth. I'll tell you what I decided on, and how I came to my conclusions. If you are thinking of writing a book someday, what I tell you here may inspire you! RESOURCES: Be one of the first to get a copy of Babies Are Not Pizzas! Click here to get on the wait list. 

In this episode, I talk with Ashely Smith about her awe-inspiring and peaceful experience giving birth to twins. Ashley and her partner Trevor live in Lexington, Kentucky. They are both local business owners active in their community. As first time parents, they took time to equip themselves to have a smooth birth experience. Ashley always found herself describing the role of a doula to her friends and family, and finally got to experience having doula herself! She worked with Chanté Perryman, a certified doula and Evidence Based Birth Instructor. Chanté taught Ashley and Trevor through the EBB Childbirth Class -they are the first participants of the class to give birth to twins! We discuss Ashley’s successfully well-planned birth, as well as her postpartum journey. I also talk about some of EBB’s upcoming projects! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (incl

In this week's Book Bonus podcast, I give you a glimpse of all the steps we took to make sure my book, Babies Are Not Pizzas, is accurate and polished! I'll take you through the multiple steps of the editing process - including a team of over 30 EBB supporters who have read the book and provided feedback! From fact checking to research, and fine-tuning the stories of all the people mentioned in the book, this process was intense and we were so excited to send it off for the final editing phase! Listen to hear the whole story, PLUS the tentative release date of the book! RESOURCES: You can be one of the first to get a copy of Babies Are Not Pizzas! Click here to get on the wait list.

This episode from 2019 has been replaced with updated audio from the February 2025 revision of the Evidence Based Birth® Signature Article on Vitamin K (EBB 347).  RESOURCES: Click here to read the updated Evidence Based Birth® Signature Article, The Evidence on the Vitamin K Shot in Newborns - as well as the updated one-page handout!

On this week's Bonus Book Update podcast, I want to take you inside the final mile of my writing process. When I was just a few chapters shy of finishing my draft and life was just too crazy to find the time to tap into my creative energy, I decided I needed a few days to get away and concentrate completely on my book! And you know what? It was a great idea. I'll tell you all about the inspiring place I was able to retreat to, all the resources I brought with me to keep me on task (have you ever travelled with a mini-library?), and the encouragement I carried with me from a close friend who shared her insightful perspective on the creative process. RESOURCES: Click here to get all the latest updates on my book, Babies Are Not Pizzas!

In this episode, I am joined by Natalie Telyatnikov, founder and creator of the online holistic program Better Postpartum. She is a certified postpartum support specialist trained in perinatal mood and anxiety disorder support, as well as innate traditions of postpartum care. Natalie shares her personal journey of postpartum depression and anxiety, and the discoveries she made about how these issues are handled in the health care system. We also discuss the evidence on postpartum education, as well as the ACOG recommendations for optimizing postpartum care. I also share the story of my own postpartum recovery journey. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. RESOURCES: Evidence Based Birth® Podcas

My weekly EBB Book Podcast updates are bringing you a behind-the-scenes look at my new book, Babies are Not Pizzas, which will launch this August! This week, I want to share with you some personal insights about my emotional journey during the writing process. This book tells my story and I needed to share it just the right way. I also had to take a deep examination of some very difficult times in my life. As many of you know - that kind of introspection is not easy! I learned so much along the way - and I want to share those insights with you. RESOURCES: Click here to get on the book wait list - and to get all the latest updates!

In this episode, we’ll listen to my husband Dan Dekker and our brother-in-law Ryan talk about their experiences on becoming fathers and watching the births of their children. As we are approaching Father’s Day in the U.S., I wanted to do something special and share this interview that I recorded when I was teaching a college class on childbirth. We were discussing the importance of not only listening to the stories of people who give birth, but also their partners - because birth can be a life-altering experience for the partner as well as the birthing person. You’ll hear both Dan and Ryan recall the experiences of watching each of their three children be born. They will also answer a really fascinating question: What’s good about being a parent? Studies are showing that many of today’s young people are reluctant to start families as they view it as disruptive to their lives. Dan’s and Ryan’s perspectives on fatherhood may surprise you. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbi

In this special bonus episode of the Evidence Based Birth Book Update podcast, I'm going to take you behind the scenes for the most adorable (and the most chaotic) part of the book production process - the photo shoot! I got the chance to work with some of the sweetest babies - but things didn't quite go according to plan... To hear the whole story, download this week's Book Update podcast on iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify! Resources: Get all the latest news on my upcoming book via the Evidence Based Birth newsletter - sign up here!

I'm so excited to release my new book this August, Babies are Not Pizzas! I will admit, I spent a long considering how to craft this book... I needed to really think about my message and how it should be written to offer the biggest impact! Is this a guide to pregnancy - or something else? Well, I am happy to tell you what kind of book this is - and how I decided on the genre! RESOURCES: Get added to the Evidence Based Birth mailing list here, so you don't miss any updates!

In this episode I interview Evidence Based Birth Instructor Program Director Cat LaPlante about her empowering birth experiences and her life as a birth professional. Cat is a certified doula and childbirth educator, and was also one of the first EBB Instructors. She has a passion for teaching expectant parents and birth professionals about evidence based care - she loves when parents get excited about the labor process! Cat lives with her husband and four boys.  Learn how Cat’s fourth birth at home was different in many ways to her previous births, and the strategies she used as a result of teaching the new EBB Childbirth Class - including a transformational language shift. Cat also shares fascinating insights into her life as a doula and childbirth educator. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. F

My new book is coming out this August, and I think you're going to love the title... Download this podcast to hear it! This book is truly a labor of love, and it's been a fascinating journey crafting the story and message. I am releasing a special podcast series all about it. Download a new episode each Friday - you'll get sneak peeks and announcements, as well as behind the scenes insights into producing this book!   RESOURCES: Get added to the Evidence Based Birth mailing list here, so you don't miss any updates!

In this episode, I interview EBB Professional Membership Coordinator Chanté Perryman about her first cesarean and her super-fast VBAC! Chanté is a professional birth and postpartum doula, certified childbirth educator and a maternity coach at Baby Dreams Maternity Concierge. She is also an Evidence Based Birth Instructor. Chanté is a birth advocate in central Kentucky, coordinating the Bluegrass Baby Expo and publishing a quarterly magazine for parents. She also volunteers with the Kentucky Home Birth Coalition, advocating for certified professional midwives. She will begin her studies to become a midwife in 2020, and she has three daughters. Hear how Chanté’s first birth led her on a new career journey, and how she relates to clients using her experiences with cesarean and VBAC. We also discuss strategies for birth professionals to reach lower-income communities, and the practical challenges of balancing life as a birth professional. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbir

In this episode I bring you the evidence on labor induction for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). A few months ago, we released an article all about the evidence on diagnosing GDM, and we wanted to follow up that article with another focused solely on labor induction versus expectant management for GDM.  Listen to learn the two most common questions that people ask when they are diagnosed with GDM, as well as all of the situations that may occur under the umbrella term “expectant management”. And of course, I will cover the latest research studies on this topic! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.  RESOURCES: Get free handouts on this topic here! Find the Evidence Based Birth® Signature

In this episode I am joined by three guests to talk about the Evidence Based Birth Comfort Measures for Labor and Delivery Nurses workshop. Our panel includes registered nurse, childbirth educator and EBB Instructor Jessica Hazboun from San Diego, labor and delivery nurse and childbirth educator Lori Lopez from Honolulu, and Evidence Based Birth Instructor Program Director, childbirth educator and doula Cat LaPlante from the New Jersey/Philadelphia area. The Comfort Measures workshop is a three hour event with contact hours, covering a range of non-pharmacological techniques including massage, birth balls, CUBs, rebozo, hydrotherapy, and more. In this podcast, we discuss the barriers that nurses face in instructing and assisting patients with comfort during labor, and solutions on how to empower nurses in this area. We also talk about the challenges and rewards of being a change maker in your community. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Ins

In this episode I interview Emily Fleenor, a new parent who recently gave birth to her daughter while her husband was in active duty stationed at Fort Campbell in Tennessee. They both took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class from EBB Instructor Heidi Duncan, and appreciated the flexibility of the online format during times when Emily’s husband was away for work. Emily worked with a freestanding birthing center, and was very happy with her care. Find out why she was excited and empowered during her birth - despite laboring in her car, a battle with anxiety, and the psychological challenges of getting through the birth process. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) and our Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.  RESOURCES: Click here