In this warm and spirited conversation, Blyss sits at the feet of retired traditional midwife Mary Lothman of Portland, Oregon. Raised in Denver during the cultural upheaval of the 60s, Mary shares her path from rebellion to faith, from commune life to motherhood, and ultimately to midwifery. Her story is infused with humor, honesty, and devotion—to birth, to women, and to God.

Mary recounts how her early hospital births—with separation, institutional indifference, and a lack of autonomy—propelled her toward a radical trust in birth and a calling to serve other mothers. We trace her journey through La Leche League, early home births with Jan Tritten, and her unexpected entry into a community of Christian midwives in Portland.

Throughout the episode, Mary reflects on the spiritual dimensions of birth, the lessons she learned kneeling beside toilets and praying for wisdom, and the evolving tension between licensure, autonomy, and traditional care. With over a thousand births behind her, Mary brings fierce faith, grounded wisdom, and a reverence for birth that transcends fear and honors mystery.

Mary shares:

• Her journey from commune life to Christian faith
• How La Leche League shaped her early ideas of mothering and breastfeeding
• The transformative home birth she had with Jan Tritten, and how it led her to midwifery
• Practicing alongside a network of Christian midwives in Portland
• Lessons from peer review, loss, and sacred moments of grief
• Her reflections on free birth, maternal autonomy, and woman-to-woman support
• The Oregon licensure experience—and why she ultimately let it go
• Why she believes “God is in control” in every birth

Mentioned in This Episode:

• Jan Tritten – Midwife who attended Mary’s first home birth and helped inspire her midwifery path; later founded Midwifery Today magazine to uplift global midwifery wisdom
• La Leche League – Breastfeeding support group that shaped Mary’s views on mothering
• Linda Shellhammer – Portland-based Christian midwife who mentored Mary 
• Hazel Woodward – Hosted early Portland midwifery gatherings 
• Angelica tincture – Used for retained placenta
• Peppermint essential oil – A few drops in the toilet can gently stimulate postpartum urination
• Otoscope – Mary learned to assess her children’s ear infections at home
• The Oregon Midwifery Council – The group that eventually led the shift toward licensure
• Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.
• Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.

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Podcast Editor: Shea Lyons

Archivist and Producer: Blyss Young

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