Working Birth

Rebecca Hartley-Woods, mental health advocate and doula, discusses her personal experience with perinatal mood disorders and her work founding a non-profit that sheds light on perinatal mood disorders that 1 in 7 moms experience. We talk about the gap between mental health professionals and maternal health professionals and why so many women fall through the cracks, never receiving help. She shares her own experience with postpartum depression, anxiety, PTSD and OCD. We also discuss antenatal depression, signs and symptoms, therapy, resources, as well as Rebecca's background as a public worker and current work as a doula.  Show notes and portrait at: workingbirth.com/ep16

Yamel Belen discusses her work as a doula and pediatric registered nurse. She talks about how her work as a nurse in the medical foster care system informs her work as a doula, and how she fell into doula work. She discusses trust, empowerment, and the importance of fully supporting women in labor. A mom of five, Yamel talks about involving families in the birth process, and the pregnancy-positive culture she grew up in. Plus, what has surprised her most about being a doula.  Portrait and show notes at www.workingbirth.com/ep15

Midwife Jessica Willoughby, LM, CPM discusses how her background in anthropology has helped her understand differences in culture as they relate to labor, birth, and breastfeeding. She speaks about the gifts midwifery has given her, paying it forward, and challenges with living the on call lifestyle. Jessica also talks about empowering c-section experiences as well as the most important things she's learned about midwifery. Show notes and portrait can be found at www.workingbirth.com/ep14 

Leading infant sleep researcher and professor of anthropology Dr. James McKenna, PhD, discusses his extensive research on mother-baby sleep and cosleeping, bedsharing, and the new term "breastsleeping." We talk about the science of the mechanisms behind infant sleep, cosleeping around the world, the mysterious sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sleep training, and the neurological effects of separation. He discusses how cultural ideologies interfere with infant sleep practices, and the huge gap in what mothers are doing with sleeping & breastfeeding, versus what is being recommended to families by the American Academy of Pediatrics and local governments. Jim also discusses his new research on colic/inconsolable crying. There's a wealth of excellent information in this episode! See Jim's portrait and check out all the show notes at: workingbirth.com/ep13

Midwife Kim Verbarg, LM, CPM discusses the transformative power of birth and her journey as a midwife. She talks about first getting interested in birth and midwifery as a teenager, her own experience with unassisted birth, working at a birth center, living the on-call lifestyle, and what she's learned from her clients.  Kim's portrait and show notes found at www.workingbirth.com/ep12

Lactation consultant Trish Hanning, RN, IBCLC discusses helping moms and babies in the NICU to achieve their breastfeeding goals. Working as a lactation consultant in both a hospital and private practice setting, she talks about her experience working with preterm babies, the biggest challenges for pumping and nursing in the NICU, breastfeeding after a c-section, tongue ties, and how she explains the benefits of breastfeeding to moms. Portrait and show notes at: workingbirth.com/ep11

Midwife Jessica Brumley, CNM, PhD, discusses practicing midwifery in a hospital setting and working collaboratively with OBGYNs for an integrated model of care. She talks about how she first came to hear about midwives, what spoke to her about the profession, and how the births of her own children influenced how she practices. Jessica also discusses her research on racism being a stressor during pregnancy, issues of health disparity and how they effect minorities in the US, and being a part of the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Diversification and Inclusion Task Force. Show notes and portrait at: www.workingbirth.com/ep10

Suzanne Arms is an author, activist, practical visionary, photojournalist, filmmaker, speaker, teacher, and founder of the Colorado-based nonprofit, Birthing The Future. Often called a grandmother of the birth movement, Suzanne has been active in the birth community since the 1970's when her book Immaculate Deception was named a New York Times Best Book of the Year. She shares how knowing her own birth story, as well as her mother's and grandmother's, has impacted her life and work. Suzanne also delves into a range of issues surrounding birth and the mother-baby unit, including: the culture of fear surrounding childbirth, cellular memory, epigenetics, the safety of drugs used in labor, the primal period, the importance of conception, feminism, politics, patriarchy, attachment, the sensitivity of boys, and how a peaceful birth and peaceful childhood can impact the world. Show notes and links at: workingbirth.com/ep09

Midwife Vikki Bennett, ARNP, CNM, and Clinical Director of a birth center, discusses her journey from nursing to midwifery & working in women's health. Vikki shares the heartbreaking challenges of working with pregnant women and newborns in Port-au-Prince, Haiti just after the massive earthquake hit in 2010. She also speaks about her frustration with the maternity care system in the U.S. and being part of the solution by practicing the midwifery model of care in a birth center setting. Plus, I learn why midwives are moving towards using the term "community based birth" instead of "out of hospital birth."   Show notes and links at workingbirth.com/ep08

Mary Unangst, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) discusses breastfeeding and the mother baby dyad, the biggest concerns she hears from moms, the process of becoming an IBCLC, getting recognized as a healthcare provider, barriers to breastfeeding, the risks associated with not breastfeeding, and how we can better support moms. Plus, being a breastfeeding mom in a military family stationed abroad, and what doing this intimate work fulfills in her. Show notes and links at workingbirth.com/ep07

Melissa Loera, CD, LMT, CLC discusses using massage therapy in the birth room and the benefits of massage in labor. She shares her journey into the birth world, and talks about working with survivors of sexual violence and how that trauma can impact women in pregnancy and labor. We also discuss traditional Chinese cupping, using a rebozo, and the hit TV show Call the Midwife. Show notes and links at: workingbirth.com/ep06

Dr. Rachel Settles, D.C., a Webster certified chiropractor, discusses how chiropractic care can be beneficial during the first, second, and third trimesters, during labor, and also with postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, infants, & children. She talks about how bringing balance to the spine and working with the round ligament is especially helpful in pregnancy. Plus, what chiropractors actually do for breech babies with the Webster Technique, and the number one issue Rachel sees with newborn babies after birth. Show notes and links at: workingbirth.com/ep05

Dr. De'Nicea Hilton, DOM, AP, LD discusses how acupuncture can be beneficial during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, and even help with milk supply. She talks about how she first got interested in acupuncture and helping mothers, as well as acupressure, tui na (Chinese massage), moxibustion, cupping, and vaginal steaming. To see De'Nicea's portrait and the shownotes from this episode, go to workingbirth.com/ep04  This is the first of several mini episodes that will be released between regular episodes! Mini episodes were recorded in Tampa, FL at the Tampa Bay Birth Network's annual Natural Birth & Baby Expo.

In this episode, Jillian speaks with doula and childbirth educator Holly Dobrynski, CD, CBE, PE. Holly discusses her path to becoming a doula, her new childbirth education program Birth Languages, her own birth stories, being a caregiver by nature, and how her first doula client opened her eyes to all the possibilities birth brings. To see Holly's portrait and the shownotes from this episode, go to workingbirth.com/ep03

In this episode Jillian continues her conversation with midwife Karen DeCocker, CNM, DNP, APRN, IBCLC. Karen talks about how she got into nursing & midwifery, how research changed her life, her work with some amazing human milk researchers, two big changes in women's health care since she started her career, and why women are getting angry about not knowing their options. Jillian shares about the time she observed a c-section.  Also discussed: evidence-based, low intervention birth in a hospital setting, Karen's work in a small, rural community hospital, urgent vs emergent c-sections, and problems with distribution of information to moms, particularly to those of low socio-economic status.   Shownotes can be found at workingbirth.com/ep02

Welcome to Working Birth! A podcast & portrait project exploring the work of women in the birth community. In this episode Jillian talks with midwife Karen DeCocker, CNM, DNP, APRN, IBCLC. Karen discusses the midwifery model of care, the importance of evidence based practice for birth, her research on lactation, and her experiences working in various communities. To see Karen's portrait and the shownotes for this episode, go to workingbirth.com/ep01