September 12, 2025

Ep. 380 Redefining Care: Sally Hayes on Creating Integrated Support Systems

1 hour 16 minutes

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with Sally Hayes, founder of Matrikas, to talk about what it really takes to build a solid, supportive village for new parents. Together, they unpack the importance of continuity of care, how to create a trustworthy referral list, and the reality of navigating a maternal healthcare system that often feels broken and fragmented.

Sally brings her wisdom on radical acceptance, the role of virtual care in expanding access, and why maternal health education has to start earlier than most people think. HeHe and Sally also dive into how to properly vet practitioners and what to do if client feedback uncovers red flags in your referral network.

If you’ve ever wondered how collaboration between providers (and communities!) can change outcomes for families, this episode is for you. Tune in and discover how to build the kind of village that supports birthing people and their care teams.

00:00 Introduction and Purpose-Driven Care

01:03 Client Testimonial and Birth Lounge App

05:04 Healthcare System Challenges

06:33 Interview with Sally Hayes: Continuity of Care

08:00 Building a Referral Network

25:45 Virtual Care and Overcoming Healthcare Deserts

36:26 Personal Experiences and Advice for New Doulas

40:03 Building Connections and Championing Others

41:05 Embracing Authenticity in Your Work

41:54 Finding Your Perfect Client

42:33 Creating Unique Services and Standing Out

43:02 Building a Referral Network

45:40 Aligning Values with Referral Partners

51:59 Handling Mismatched Referrals

01:05:42 The Importance of Preemptive Education

01:11:31 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Guest Bio:

Before founding Matrikas, Sally spent 20+ years as a prenatal and postpartum massage therapist, working intimately with thousands of clients through some of the most transformative chapters of their lives.

Her hands-on work illuminated a critical gap in the maternal health landscape: while there are countless talented practitioners, many work alone, disconnected from one another and often unsupported. Matrikas was born out of this need for a more connected, collaborative, and community driven model of care.

Through Matrikas, Sally champions relationship based referrals, cross discipline education, and building a shared village that supports birthing people and the providers who care for them.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with HeHe on IG

Connect with HeHe on YouTube

Connect with Sally on IG

BIRTH EDUCATION:

Join The Birth Lounge here for judgment-free childbirth education that prepares you for an informed birth and how to confidently navigate hospital policy to have a trauma-free labor experience!

Download The Birth Lounge App for birth & postpartum prep delivered straight to your phone!

LINKS MENTIONED:

Www.wearematrikas.com

...more

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By HeHe Stewart

4.7

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