Down to Birth

In today's episode, we reconnect with Sarah and Lara of Dynamic Doulas, who last joined us in Episode 196: The Toughest Part of Being a Doula. Three years later, we tackle the conversation that is in fact the toughest part of being a doula: Supporting women through the loss of a baby at birth. 

Sarah and Lara return to talk to us about their recent experiences including when a baby dies or faces a severe adverse outcome. We move beyond business and birth plans and into the realities most childbirth education never mentions.

We talk about a stillbirth at 38 weeks, a shoulder dystocia at 42 weeks, an ambulance transfer during a home birth, and what happens to the doula’s mind and body afterward. We explore the ethical tension between educating clients toward physiological birth and supporting every decision they make, even when those decisions give the doula pause.

We also look at the limits of “evidence-based” care, why risk can never be reduced to zero, how to think about induction at 42 weeks, big babies, shoulder dystocia, and continuous fetal monitoring without slipping into fear or blind trust in the system. For pregnant women and birth workers alike, this conversation examines responsibility, intuition, and the space between over-medicalized birth and simplistic reassurance.

Sarah and Lara share how these losses changed their practice, how they now talk to clients about risk and responsibility, and what it truly means to “hold space” when the worst outcome occurs. We also talk about nervous system strain, how doulas know when they need a break from their work, and why no doula should have to process these experiences alone.

For women who are pregnant, this episode offers perspective on how rare events are understood by the people supporting you, and how to stay rooted in your own values, intuition, and sense of responsibility. For birth professionals, we discuss burnout, secondary trauma, why partnership matters so much in this work, and how a strong professional doula partnership can make the difference between quitting and continuing onward with new clients after witnessing a client's loss.

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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

#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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Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

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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! 

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Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
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Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
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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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Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
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Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
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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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Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
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Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
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ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
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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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Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
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Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
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Call 802-GET-DOWN.
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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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Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric

Needed <-- for 20% off
DrinkLMNT <--  for FREE 8-day supply
Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH
ENERGYBits Superfood<--for 20% off
Join Patreon here
IG @downtobirthshow

Call 802-GET-DOWN.
Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.