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Pregnant women often carry fears about breastfeeding long before their babies arrive — fears of pain, low supply, clogged ducts, or not knowing when to feed. After all, if breastfeeding is so natural, why do we keep hearing how hard it is? In this episode, Cynthia asks Trisha to address the most common concerns from the women in our community. We discuss why these fears are so prevalent, what’s actually normal, and how much of breastfeeding success depends on preparation, support, and confidence—not just luck. 

If you are worried whether your body will make enough milk, how to know if your baby’s latch is correct, or whether your milk will “come in” at all, this conversation will leave you informed, grounded, and far more at ease about what’s to come. You, along with your baby, can absolutely know breastfeeding success. 

Watch this episode in full video format on YouTube.

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Midwife and mother of two, Sophia Henderson, host of the Born Wild podcast, joins us to tell the story of her children’s births – and how a chiropractor may have saved her newborn daughter’s life.

In her first pregnancy, Sophia navigated weeks of unexplained bleeding, chose home birth as a student midwife, and after giving birth learned her son had no anal opening and would ultimately be diagnosed with VACTERL association. She describes what it means to care for a medically complex baby, how quickly those diagnoses unfold after birth, and how that first year reshaped her understanding of risk, normalcy, and surgical intervention.

Just as her son's medical journey was unfolding when he was just a few months old, Sophia found herself pregnant again—depleted, caring for a fragile infant, and facing new legal restrictions in California that removed home birth as an option. She entered the hospital as a confident midwife who expected to advocate for herself, only to discover how difficult it is to hold onto intuition when confronted with pressure around breech, preterm labor, and surgery.

After her daughter’s premature birth, Sophia and her husband were told the baby’s lungs had collapsed, that there was “nothing more they could do,” and that she was unlikely to survive or at best, would require oxygen all her life. A desperate post to Facebook caught the attention of a chiropractor, who responded that she could see the issue and restore the baby to wellness. Her treatment was performed quietly after being snuck into the hospital, and led to a recovery so dramatic that it reframed Sophia’s entire understanding of newborn physiology and the role of chiropractic care.

Born Wild Midwifery

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Welcome to the November Q&A! Today, we start with a topic that always stirs strong feelings—birth partners. From the gestures that truly helped to the ones that fell short, we chat about your experiences of your partner's support, presence, connection or not.

Next, we respond to an emotional call for help from a sleep-deprived and emotionally exhausted mother whose husband threatens to call the cops on her for how she handled an overwhelming moment with her toddler. 

Today's episode includes a special guest appearance from Nancy Wainer, world-renowned midwife and the woman who coined the term VBAC. Nancy answers a listener’s question about an anterior placenta in a planned VBAC and explains what her decades of experience tell us about how placentas behave in utero. We also discuss endometrial polyps and whether a biopsy could affect future fertility, how to handle conversations about home birth within a hospital work environment, and how to choose a midwife when you have numerous options and like them all. 

In Quickies, we cover making baby-wearing more comfortable, the myth that labor “starts” at one centimeter, chiropractic versus pelvic floor PT in pregnancy, relieving newborn gas, timing big changes during teething, postpartum nutrition, and even whether to skip airport scanners while pregnant. We end with each of us pondering which baby names we’d choose today and our favorite ways to spend a slow morning at home.

VBAC: How to Plan for Success

#257 | Labor & Delivery Nurses' Roundtable: How Their Hands are Tied to Doctors' Orders

#273 | Special Q&A Featuring Nancy Wainer on VBAC and More

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When it comes to infant sleep, few topics are more misunderstood—or more burdened by cultural myths—than the expectation that babies should “sleep through the night.” Pediatric sleep and development specialist and author of Rest Assured: The Heart and Science of Nurturing Baby Sleep, Louise Herbert, joins us to explain what’s really happening in a baby’s body and brain during sleep.

Louise breaks down the biology of circadian rhythms, sleep pressure, and night wakings—clarifying when frequent waking is normal, what can sometimes underlie it, and why responsiveness and proximity are protective, not problematic. We also explore how stress and separation impact early brain development, why sleep training often overlooks fundamental physiology, and how parents can align their routines with their baby’s natural rhythms to improve sleep for everyone.

This conversation replaces confusion and guilt with evidence and understanding, helping parents see night wakings as a feature of healthy development—not a flaw to fix.

Mouthernourishnuture on Instagram

Louise Herbert: Rest Assured 

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After six seasons, we’re finally doing it—we’re talking about how to get down to birth.

As your "due date" approaches, many women find themselves up against policies, deadlines, and pressure to accept a medical induction. But what if other ways actually work?

Today, we explore all the safe, risk-free, and surprisingly enjoyable ways to support your body as it prepares for labor and to help get things going when the pressure is on. Some are physical, some are emotional, and yes—some even play on the more literal meaning of “getting down.” Each approach works with your body instead of against the clock, and most are evidence-based and easy to do. 

Whether you’re nearing your due date, facing induction, or simply want to feel prepared for whatever may come, this conversation gives you all the "hacks" to get you down to giving birth! 

#176 | August Q&A: Multiple Miscarriages; Evening Primrose Oil; Safe Bed-Sharing; Breastmilk Stashes; Failure to Descend; Pushing; High Blood Pressure

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After birth, many women are left blindsided by physical changes they never expected. Vaginal dryness, painful sex, recurring UTIs, and even emotional strain can all show up during breastfeeding — but most mothers are never told why. In this episode, we sit down with Sara Perelmuter, a third-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City. Sara currently serves as president of the Sexual Medicine Research Team and has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications on reproductive and genitourinary health.

Sara explains the hormonal shifts that mimic menopause in the postpartum period, why so many women are suffering in silence, and what the research reveals about both the prevalence of these symptoms and the safe, effective treatments available — including pelvic floor therapy, moisturizers, lubricants, and topical vaginal estrogen.

These symptoms are common, but they are not inevitable. By naming and studying them, we open the door to treatment and better care.

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Welcome to the October Q&A episode! We kick things off with a few confessions from our community (and one from us!) before diving into your thoughtful questions on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Today’s questions include: Is it safe if you pee in the birth tub? How can you afford a home birth when money is tight? What does it mean to “push wrong” in labor, and how does the Ferguson reflex really work? We also discuss the fear of postpartum rage returning in a subsequent pregnancy, whether OBs should move out of the way so partners can catch the baby, and why so many providers still insist mothers push on their backs.

We then cover laboring down and whether it increases risk, the truth about the “30-minute rule” for delivering the placenta, and how prenatal Pilates affects the pelvic floor. We also answer a listener’s question on how to explain conception and birth to young children in a clear, age-appropriate way.

Quickies this month: Can an OB tell if a baby is head down without an ultrasound? Do lip ties need correction? Which supplements actually help milk supply? Is estrogen cream useful postpartum? PT vs. chiropractor in pregnancy? Plus a few lighthearted ones, including our guilty pleasure shows, whether we wash our walls, and what we’re currently reading.

Call us anytime with your questions, comments, or stories at 802-GET-DOWN!

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Emily shares two unforgettable and very different birth stories: an unmedicated hospital induction with Pitocin, and an unplanned free birth at home. In her first birth, she transferred late in pregnancy under New Hampshire’s “two high readings” rule for blood pressure. With a Foley balloon, Cervidil, and the lowest possible Pitocin drip, she labored quietly on all fours, declined unnecessary interventions, and delivered under the fetal ejection reflex—so calmly that all the nurses and doctors from around the maternity ward gathered to witness a rare physiologic Pitocin birth without an epidural.

Her second birth brought the perfect contrast: a planned home birth that stalled, restarted after midnight, and ended an hour later with three strong pushes before the midwife could arrive.

In this episode, we explore how to choose hospitals based on cesarean rates, what to know about induction protocols (low and slow, and when to stop Pitocin), gestational hypertension vs. preeclampsia, recognizing white-coat hypertension, and why mental training may be the most powerful tool in birth.

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Welcome to another Breastfeeding Q&A episode. Today, we start with a conversation on how to night wean and your personal experiences with what worked best.  

For today's questions, Trisha responds to:

• How child-led weaning works at 14 months, 18 months, and 2 years old
• Nursing strikes at 6 months — why they happen and how to respond
• Night weaning tips: gentle strategies without losing daytime breastfeeding
• Why milk supply sometimes doesn’t come in (and hospital factors that affect it)
• How to stop biting while breastfeeding (without turning it into a game)
• Coping with strong or painful letdowns and oversupply
• Breastfeeding myths: Does breastfeeding cause cavities?
• Nutrition for moms: hops, beer, and spirulina for milk supply
• How to manage sleep deprivation, co-sleeping, and even feeding twins

For quickies, we tackle rapid milk ejection, breastmilk and cavities, reducing oversupply, biting, all-night latching, beer & milk supply, nipple damage, feeding twins. 

Watch this episode in full video format on YouTube.

Thank you to everyone for these great questions and remember you can call us any time at 802-GET-DOWN (that's 802-438-3696). See you next week!

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Bringing a new baby home is exciting—but it can feel overwhelming when you’re worried about how your toddler will adjust. You may be wondering: Will my toddler feel jealous? How do I handle tantrums? How do I keep my child feeling loved while caring for a newborn?

In this episode, toddler expert Devon Kuntzman, author of the book Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums and Power Struggles and Raise Resilient Kids Without Losing Your Mind, joins us to share practical wisdom for parents navigating this transition. In this discussion, we explore how to decode toddler behavior without harmful labels, set loving boundaries that build security, and handle big emotions—whether in the safety of your home or the middle of a grocery store. We discuss sibling jealously, strategies for parental preference, how to handle tantrums, time-outs, spanking and boundaries. Then we ask Devon your questions at the end, quickie style! 

Watch this episode in full video format on YouTube.

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Down to Birth Show

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Watch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.