The Male Doula: Birth Stories

The Male Doula: Birth Stories

By Matt ClarkParentingKids & Family
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The Male Doula: Birth Stories episodes

  • Episode 14: No consent, just coercion with Charley

    This has been one one the hardest collections of birth stories I've ever recorded. It has taken Charley over a year to be able to discuss the 3rd birth in this collection of 3 stories and you must listen to the end. Hear how home-birth teams use home-birth kits as a tool to get into your home, you safe place, and then pressure you into birthing at the hospital. Also feel the power as a child sees birth a relates to her mother "Mummy, you roared as you gave birth".

    Coercion has been taken to all new levels as Charley relates how she felt she had no instinct left in her and everything had gradually been striped away.

    What would you reply to "You're baby wouldn't forgive you for that" or "nearly every woman that come in here has induction...accept it"?

    Charley, who you can find on Instagram as @sidebysidedoulaandtherapy is now a doula and advocating and holding space as the powerful woman she is. Please visit her account while you listen to this heart wrenching podcast.

    Find the birthkeeping services you need anywhere in the world at: MyBirthKeeper.com

    1 hr 17 min
  • Episode 14: It's Time to Create the Birth YOU Want.
    James, a male midwife, joins me on this podcast as we try to put the medicalised birth world to rights. 
    We chat about where James' desire to become a birthkeeper started and also listen to his ideas about how the birth world could be changed so everyone can get the birth they want and not feel pressured down a particular route. Listen as he tells a birth story that shows how other peoples input can take you down a road that only leads you into a farmers field. Trusting your intuition as a pregnant person is vital and talking to James, we both realised that more than we thought we already did.
    This is a great podcast for those in the birth world, who I won't call Birthkeepers (because some of you have a few changes to make first), and also for those who are starting or on their own birth journey. Don't let antiquated and wartime reasonings affect your choices, instead, let your gut, your second brain tell you what is right and I promise you, your birth will be a far more peaceful and happy birth.
    Quotes in this podcast:
    "I just felt I needed to be in there!"
    "You're just the delivery boy"
    "I don't think we're going to make it!"
    "Stop antiquated teachings in the birth room"
    "I watched this video and at the beginning, they were having a fun time in the bedroom..."
    Mentions in this podcast:
    The Male Doula
    MyBirthkeeper.com
    Kemi... again. Love this woman.
    59 min
  • Episode 13: He who must not be named (miscarriage).
    Miscarriage is something many won't, don't or can't talk about. I feel truly humbled and blessed to talk to Harry Potter star, Danni Tabor about her and her husband J's birth story. We never know exactly what causes a baby to stop growing and sadly pass away before being born, but we do hear theories. These theories can be cruel and uncaring. This amazing lady talks about the realities for her and her partner in facing more than their miscarriages alone.  Actress turned Wellbeing Coach and Gym owner Danni not only talks about miscarriage and the effects on a relationship but also of the loss of her mother and the need to feel the love her mum had for her, towards her own child. Hear the urgency that she felt to get pregnant and the tears we both had as she spoke of her repeated loss.
    There is a beautiful conclusion to our chat together that is also the beginning of an amazing journey for her as a mother and wife and J as a husband and father. We can all learn much from Danni & J about the need for empathy from NHS staff when discussing miscarriage and what to expect from a hospital environment if you face this tragic event.
    Quotes in this podcast:
    "We had some sex and I got pregnant!"
    "I'm really good at being okay!"
    "There was an urgency to get pregnant...my mum was going to be at the birth"
    "Awareness is what I preach."
    "..this one time, we had sex."
    Mentions in this podcast:
    The Male Doula
    MyBirthkeeper.com
    BirthEd
    The Birth Uprising (Alix & Jade) & Claire
    Kemi... again. Love this woman.
    Woomly - Meena. Fertility and Birth Coach
    Nurtured Mother - Naomi Tulson
    49 min
  • Episode 12: Rainbows & Fingers Crossed with Luiza

    Hear the journey of Luiza, a doula, as she goes through feelings of despair and guilt about not being able to carry a baby full term, for herself and husband. Be amazed at the new technique being used by an NHS antenatal specialist called the "Fingers Crossed" approach. This is where you aren't touched or physically examined, but the specialist looks you up and down holds both hands in the air with their fingers crossed and says "lets hope for the best!".

    Graphic warning! This podcast contains graphic descriptions of actions against an Obstetrician.

    Luiza also talks about her diet of Chorizo and Cava

    Quotes in this podcast:

    "Do you ever doubt the poo is going to come out?"

    "The 5G, bat virus microchip they've inserted"

    "...doctors were at a theatre watching a play"

    "As a woman, I felt completely broken"

    "Her talking to me was annoying"

    "Sophia is my Rainbow baby"


    Mentions in this podcast:

    Bowen Bexley

    Kemi Johnson - midwife

    Amber Strong - doula

    1 hr 12 min
  • Episode 11: Steph, a midwife, sees the other side of hospitalised birth.

    This amazing Australian midwife (Four & Beyond on Instagram) tells her story as she experienced the other side of birth in a hospital. From being told that they won't see her for the first appointment until they "see if this birth sticks" to having a beautiful maternal assisted caesarean. She then talks about the VBAC of 2nd baby and how having knowledge is also how you can make an informed choice. Listen in amazement as professionals in the hospital say they're worried about uterine rupture and her "trying to have a VBAC", then try to give her an induction and make her contractions even stronger.


    Quotes in this podcast:

    "We will induce you or cut you open!"

    "You don't need to be doing that, that's an overreaction!"

    "Your fluid is fine, your baby is fine...it wasn't!"

    "The power balance has shifted to me!"

    "I looked at my CTG and said "Damn, that's gorgeous!""


    Visit Bowen Bexley for gentle and non invasive Birth related treatment, and to find out more about having The Male Doula at your next birth".

    1 hr 26 min
  • Episode 10: You can do anything, but You can't do everything, with Catherine Farrant.

    This is my podcast, recorded over Zoom, with mother of three, entrepreneur and founder of Ossa Organic. We discuss how her company is involved in her birth and life story. Michael, Jack, Thomas and Beau make the rest of these truly inspiring and connected family. A concise story of each of these birth stories will help you with your birth journey. Catherine shows that a HBA2C (Home Birth after two Caesarians) is possible and can be an ecstatic birth.

    Quotes in this podcast:

    "Why would I spend money on that?"

    "Rest is work...we need it to survive"

    "Take it and grab it with both hands, don't push it away"

    "Birth is a teacher"

    "Elective Caesarean! I never elected for anything"

    "Don't be fear mongered into anything"

    "You are like a giant balloon... stop leaking air"


    Mentions in this podcast:

    Bowen Bexley

    Ossa Organic

    #ibirthedinthepandemic

    Catherine Farrant IG

    Laura Swann

    Gemma - Mamatoto IG

    Kemi Johnson

    Jane Hardwicke Collings IG

    46 min
  • Episode 9: Where, where, where is the permission? with Charlotte.
    This is a face to face interview with Charlotte who birthed baby Archie during lockdown. Charlotte had more midwifes than she can remember and one overworked midwife actually passed out and was taken to A&E. Charlotte was asked to lay on back to birth her posterior position baby. "You're only 1cm, you've got at least 24 hours before baby will be born" and then told "I've ramped up the IV as it will push this posterior baby out!" by the midwife. That was until she decided to tell Charlotte that she wasn't going to have this baby naturally anyway. Find out what happens next, it's scary!
    Quotes in this podcast:
    "...sneezed and wet myself 3 times, it was actually my waters going"
    "Please come in. Would you like to check my cervix, again"
    "I've ramped up the IV as it will push this baby out"
    "you're only 1cm, you've got at least 24 hours..."
    "I had all the control taken away from me"
    Mentions in this Podcast:
    Bowen Bexley - Pregnancy and Birth Specialist
    The Male Doula
    Charlotte Mullender
    48 min
  • Episode 8: #butnotmaternity Campaign in the UK with Abbi

    This is a Zoom interview with @themotherlovingdoulauk Abbi Leibert. We discuss the benefits of having a doula and what a doula is. We then discuss the hashtag campaign #butnotmaternity and how things are constantly changing in the NHS and what you can do to work with them for the best possible birth, in the current climate. Hear how Abbi and other doulas got together and created something amazing that is changing NHS regulations and attitudes across the uk.

    Quotes in this podcast:

    "I was tokophobic ... but made excuses"

    "They don't teach you this in biology class when you're 14"

    "Lots of partners weren't making it in time"

    "I've got an option, I should have a choice in this"


    Mentions in this Podcast:

    Alexia Leachman - Fear Free Childbirth

    Mars Lord

    BUTNOTMATERNITY

    The Mother Loving Doula

    Birth Bliss

    Sarah Wickham - Induction

    NHS, Coronavirus and Pregnancy

    Bowen Bexley - Pregnancy and Birth Specialist

    56 min
  • Episode 7: Hawaiian Dreams and Beautiful Brighton with Ursula.

    This is my podcast with the amazing woman and doula, Ursula. Hear her birth story from the tropical island of Maui and how it ended up back in Brighton, England. This is a story of strength, focus and power as she uses her intuition through pressures from all sides and births her son, Koa, exactly as she visioned.

    Quotes in this podcast:

    "I moved out into the jungle and worked the land"

    "If my life is being threatened, then my babies life is being threatened"

    "Remember this moment, you are giving birth right now"

    "I would 100% have a doula"


    Mentions in this podcast:

    Free Birth Society

    Doulas Without Borders

    AIMS: for a better birth

    Peanut App

    RISE: Freedom from Domestic Abuse

    Spinning Babies

    Rescue Remedy

    NHS

    1 hr 7 min
  • Episode 6: Yogini, Midwife and Doula at Homebirth with Eleni

    This is a podcast with Eleni of Eleni Bhava Yoga, recorded at home with Eleni and baby Emily. After travelling and learning yoga, Eleni settles birth to have a baby. With a mental picture of breathing baby out at home and in a pool, things don't go quite to plan. Listen as Eleni turns from screams to a lion and roars this baby out. Also find out what the perfect team of people really can look like.

    Quotes in this podcast:

    "You have premature ovarian failure!"

    "I thought I would exhale the baby"

    "At the birth the Lion came out"

    "I let instinct take over...the hormones flowed"

    "I found my religion"


    Mentions in this podcast:

    Bhavayoga - by Eleni. Sign up HERE for her amazing courses and see her essential guide to Nutrition, Pregnancy Yoga and Birth. A must for mamas to be.

    Kemi Birthjoy Johnson - Midwife

    Laura Swann - Doula

    Birth Bath by Mumma Medicine.

    Visit Bowen Bexley for gentle and non invasive Birth related treatment and to find out more about having The Male Doula at your next birth".

    52 min

About The Male Doula: Birth Stories

From the publisher's feed

Interviews about birth for all sorts of people by all sorts of people.