Women on Fire

Today we talk about pushing - the classic coached pushing "purple pushing", spontaneous pushing, intuitive pushing and everything in between.

Our special guest today is Alexandra Kisitu - a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of Hawaii Manoa. Her research focuses on medical sociology, health lifestyles theory, obstetric violence, midwifery and childbirth. She shares how her own experiences with pregnancy and birth inspired her dissertations topic: the lifestyles and world views of moms who choose home birth in Hawai'i.

It was so much fun to chat with Midwife Kayce Pearson about midwifery regulations in the state she practices in - Utah. The regulatory model there is voluntary -so you can be a licensed midwife or not be licensed and still be a midwife. This model allows for midwifery diversity & birth options to be preserved . Tune in for the ins and outs of how an open & inclusive model supports great outcomes in the community.

Find Kayce on Ig: @moontreemidwifery & on her website www.moontreemidwifery.com and here is the link to the birth nerds study group she hosts: https://moontreebirthnerds.mn.co/share/oQbd1_k7bykvE0so

We are so honored to interview Mahal Al Musa- international & independent childbirth educator, natural birth and extended breastfeeding advocate, and a mother to 3 beautiful children, all born as nature intended. She shares her truth and wisdom regarding the cycle of womanhood. You can learn more about her and her many offerings on her Instagram as @Maha_al_musa and on her website https://mahaalmusa.com/about/

Yes 2 episodes in 1 month about postpartum because it's worthy of that much attention. We chat with Kiersten Homalon, cofounder of Thrive Postpartum, about her experience with her own postpartums and how that inspired her offerings to nourish women postpartum. Thrive postpartum website: https://www.howtothrivepostpartum.com/?fbclid=IwAR0Yd6eoEDhmf3rmS5T6PF9KcH5oK_7J5zB2O_nThrXw7WTNHmaOrHa2oSA

In this podcast episode Daniela works through her morning grogginess with Jme to dive into the practice of eating your placenta- spoiler alert: it’s what pretty much every other mammal does. We explore how it’s been used traditionally in the case of bleeding. And we unpack the one case study always used to fear monger people into not eating their placenta. And if you want to contact us reach out via email at [email protected] 💚

What happens when birth doesn’t feel like rainbows, butterflies and glitter? Join us for a deep dive into the double-edged sword that can be romanticizing birth. Its pros, its cons and the need for being an optimistic realist.

We are blessed to have Melissa be a guest for the second time on our podcast sharing her experience, insights and tips in navigating postpartum. We too often hear moms say they wish someone had told them about the realities of postpartum - so that's what you can expect in this episode. Part of those realities is the fact that there are so many different elements that can arise for different people that It's can be hard to know what will be relevant for someone. However, some aspects of postpartum are also way more predictable. Tune in to learn how you can support yourself or loved ones through the expected and unexpected of postpartum. Find Melissa on instagram as @oahumothercircle

Yet another legislative season is upon us and thus another opportunity to preserve midwifery diversity in Hawaiʻi. We talk about Senate Bill 893, why we support it, how it improves upon the existing midwifery licensure law in Hi, and what you can do to support these efforts to preserve midwifery options and birth autonomy. For more info on the Hawaiʻi Home Birth Collective & their membership see their website: https://hihbc.org/ And here is a link to read sb893 https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2021/bills/SB893_.htm

**Trigger Warning** this is a story of early pregnancy loss. Sister Simona Open heartedly shares her experience from breakdowns to breakthroughs. Grateful for her willingness to publicly open up about a very personal & tender experience so we can collectively shine more light on the common experience of miscarriage. @simonahawaii thank you for using your voice & story to break the silence. You can find Simona's offering on IG: @magicpotionsbysimona and on her website https://www.magicpotionsbysimona.com/