Reclaiming Birth with Allison Yarrow

According to a recent survey of over 1300 women, 56% experienced dissatisfaction with their births. Unfortunately, this statistic reveals only a glimpse into a very broken system and the reality for birthing women in our country, where 30% report some form of trauma in their birth experience.

So, where do we go from here?

On today’s episode of On Health, I'm joined by award-winning journalist Allison Yarrow, who is on a mission to change this. Allison's work centers on exposing how modern maternal healthcare strips women of power, causing harm to not only our physical well-being but also our mental well-being. Together, we break down the complexities of birth, from trauma in the hospital to exploring home birth as an option, the lack of evidence in common obstetric practices, and the importance of postpartum support.

Join us as we discuss:

How Allison’s home birth opened her eyes to the flawed maternal healthcare system

Birth trauma and the importance of trauma-informed care

The problem with electronic fetal monitoring and how much technological intervention is really needed for birth

What Allison’s ideal prenatal and postpartum support model would look like

The benefits of midwifery care

The internalized fear surrounding birth and how to minimize it

Why birthing women are the real experts

Diastasis Recti, pelvic floor therapy, and the pressure to "bounce back"

Allison’s mission with her new book, "Birth Control"

And more

Whether you’re pregnant and feeling anxious about giving birth or have given birth and experienced trauma, I hope this conversation brings you peace in knowing that you aren’t alone and that it's not your fault, and that gives you confidence to embrace your power, heal, and seek the care you deserve going forward.

Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to your body, yourself, and this podcast! Please share the love by sending this to someone in your life who could benefit from the kinds of things we talk about in this space. Make sure to follow your host on Instagram @dr.avivaromm and go to avivaromm.com to join the conversation. Follow Allison @aliyarrow and get a copy of her new book “Birth Control” here!