This season we continue our exploration of holding space through the complicated parts of perinatal care.  Unfortunately, it is very complicated, and often harmful & dangerous, to navigate our birthcare system as someone who does not present as cis-gender and heterosexual. Deeply ingrained prejudices and biases impact care in ways felt on interpersonal and systemic levels.

Our guest this week, Jen Molina of United in Birth, is here to explain how and why she has centered her practice around caring for trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and queer people so often stigmatized in reproductive care spaces.

In this episode we explore:

~holding space and re-defining the role of an "expert" in birthcare

~white saviorism in birthwork

~barriers to accessibility of services-financial, cultural, and others

~navigating the challenges of a healthcare system that defaults to "cis-het-white" as the standard

~awareness of our positionality as we offer to support folks

~persona of inclusivity that results in actual harm to trans, and other gender-diverse folks

~trauma-informed care as a framework for creating more inclusive care-practices that are person-centered

~queer reproductive justice from king yaa

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As we continue our season exploring how we hold space through the complicated parts of pregnancy and birth, we are turning our attention to how we approach the balancing act of addressing medical concerns AND holding space while supporting someone experiencing a high-risk pregnancy.
Our guest this week, Parijat Deshpande, is an integrative health specialist supporting those with a history of or currently experiencing high-risk pregnancies.

Tune in to explore these topics:

~caring for folks who have already experienced the hardest outcomes of pregnancy and birth

~navigating the juxtaposition of medical practice & holding space

~understanding birthcare on a theoretical level vs the benefits of lived experience

~learning about the gaps in how we learn to relate to patients in high-risk situations

~cultivating a balance between leaving space for folks to process new information without making them feeling alone as they navigate that space

~specific techniques for engaging clients through non-verbal communication & language awareness

~preventing trauma through actionable items that maintain agency 

~preparing for transition from pregnancy to postpartum

~healing trauma and mistrust with self & system when approaching a future pregnancy

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In this season we've been talking so much about how we hold space for those in our care through the complicated parts of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  In this week's episode we are diving into reflection as a tool for holding space for ourselves and our work as birth professionals.
 
We are thrilled to have Cheyenne Scarlett, MA, ECS, BCD, ECE on the show today to explore her research into the experience of Black perinatal health disparities in Toronto, and what lead her to create a journal resource for birthworkers.  Cheyenne is the author of Deep Dive: A Self-Reflection Workbook for Birthworkers and is also a certified childbirth educator who uses insights from her research to guide preparing folks for birth.

Join us to learn more about:

~the impact of storytelling in understanding birthcare

~the interaction of birth trauma and child development

~experiences of Black parents during birth navigating complexities of Canada's healthcare syste

~balancing the need for systemic change, personal change for birth pros, and preparation for birthing people

~disconnect between the care people think they're providing and the way people experience it

~the power of self-reflection for birth professionals

~the role of reflection as part of a trauma-informed care practice

~navigating defensiveness that can come up during reflection

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PCOS is a metabolic, endocrine, and reproductive disorder that impacts an estimated 5million people of reproductive age.  Individualized care is needed for those experiencing PCOS to address concerns that range from infertility, low energy, and disordered eating to increased risks of type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea endometrial cancer, fatty liver disease, anxiety, and depression.

Sam Abbott shares her experience as a registered dietitian nutritionist and creator of the PCOS Food Freedom Program as we learn to navigate this journey with clients and patients.

For a condition that affects so many people of reproductive age, we see that it is underfunded and under-researched, which leads to a significant amount of conflicting information about it. Sam shares her insights into how we can best support our clients as they navigate their PCOS journey.

Join us in conversation as we explore:

~what PCOS is and is NOT

~associated health risks related to pregnancy and beyond

~supporting a variety of lived experiences with PCOS

~combatting misinformation in PCOS management

~political involvement in research challenges surrounding PCOS 

~addressing PCOS nutrition while avoiding a weight-centric approach

~how to support fertility desires with focus on decreasing insulin resistance & inflammation

~setting reasonable expectation for postpartum recovery and lifelong PCOS journey

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You have probably heard the statistics about birth trauma...where 1 in 3 birthing people have identified their births as traumatic. And of course, the events that have unfolded through 2020 and 2021 have only exacerbated the cracks in our birthcare system and contributed to higher rates of trauma and PTSD.

It is because of this, that we have a duty to educate ourselves more about trauma so that we understand what it is (and isn't) and the practices we can put into place to provide trauma-informed care. We acknowledge this is heavy and hard work. But as Krysta Dancy of Birth & Trauma Support Center shares in this episode "there's so much to be optimistic about, because every year as we learn more about trauma, we learn how to treat it better."

Join us as we uncover:

~holding space for birth trauma

~identifying birth trauma and differentiating with PTSD

~the impact of the pandemic on experience of birthing people & birth pros

~what aspects of care can be controlled to limit birth trauma

~resetting our empathy & countering fight or flight as birth pros

~how to prepare clients for the realities of birthcare without traumatizing

~why we can be hopeful about treatment for those experiencing birth trauma

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As the month of October raises awareness for Pregnancy and Infant Loss we want to honor parents who suffer loss and recognize the ways we can best show up to support them.
Lola Brognano, MSW, LCSW-QS, PMH-C joins us to shed light on best practices for holding space for parents during perinatal loss, in the hospital, in the early postpartum period, and as they continue building their family.

In this episode we dive into:

~finding words to validate loss

~creating collaborative care processes to support parents

~breaking down stigma and abolishing the "grief expiration date"

~the purpose of support groups

~learning to live with loss when experiencing future pregnancies

~navigating cultural mismatch in grief practices

~secondary trauma and grief support for birthworkers

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In this episode we are exploring more of the dynamics that govern labor and birth nurses.  Special guests Paula Richards of NurseBrownGirl & Mandy Irby of The Birth Nurse join Maggie to breakdown some of the challenges we face in the day to day reality of delivering perinatal care that does not always match up with the impact we want to have as nurses.

We discuss:
~What it means for us to hold space...and how we found our way there
~Discrepancy between vision, training, and practice
~How productivity and outcomes are valued over patient experience
~Role of mentors in questioning the status quo
~The repercussions of centering pathology instead of physiology in OB nursing
~How nursing power is subverted
~Our vision for learning to harness nursing power to amplify the power of birthing people

We also introduce the new Trauma-Informed Birth Nurse Program, which is a deep-dive into how perinatal nurses can show up better for all of their patients by grounding their everyday practice in trauma-informed care.  Find out more about the program and its first offering starting October 20th.

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 September is NICU Awareness Month and we are proud to contribute to increased knowledge around the realties of parenting a child in the NICU. 
We welcome Tracy May, mother of two micro preemies, author, and life coach to other parents of preemies through Miracle Moments Matter, to explore her own journeys through the NICU and share insights into how we can better support parents during a NICU stay.

Join us in conversation as we discuss:

~what holding space looks like during an uncertain NICU stay

~enforcing & honoring boundaries while supporting your preemie

~the benefits of journaling for NICU parents

~offering and accepting help

~creating special memories through a NICU stay

~releasing guilt and caring for yourself 

~tempering worry and anxiety of the unknown


You can find Tracy's journal My Preemie's Journey on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. 

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We are kicking off a new series this season: "Holding Space through the Complicated" and who better to usher in a mindset shift around holding space than 2 therapists?  Join us in conversation with Allison Lieberman & Yvette Osorio of Rooted Harmony Counseling as we discuss supporting clients and loved ones with postpartum transition and PMADs-perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

We are talking about:
~holding space for vs "fixing" an issue
~recognizing and supporting postpartum parents with mental health concerns
~COVID-19 and the pandemic's impact on postpartum mental health
~stigma in seeking mental health resources
~the importance of culturally congruent therapists for BIPOC 
~changing how we talk about treatment and medications for PMADs in comparison to other medical concerns
~dropping the "supermom" narrative

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Dr Abby Dennis, OB-GYN, Ray Rachlin, CPM of Refuge Midwifery, & Maggie Runyon, RNC-OB come together to explore the realities of transferring from a planned homebirth to the hosital.
Hospital transfers are at times a necessary and expected part of thriving homebirth care models. Recognizing this and the unpredictability of birth that will sometimes necessitate a change in plans can prepare us to view a homebirth transfer as a variation of normal rather than a fraught situation to be avoided at all costs.

Our biases around homebirth transfers to hospital are often reinforced by negative experiences. Many hospital-based birth professionals are only familiar with homebirth in the context of when things go awry and a transfer is needed, which reinforces a belief that homebirth is unsafe and needlessly risky. Similarly, when community midwives & birthworkers do not have relationships with hospital-based providers outside of the transfer environment there is limited time to establish shared beliefs.

Join Abby, Ray, & Maggie this week as we explore:

~When & how to transfer to preserve vaginal birth

~Routine vs emergent transfers

~Adversarial relationships between homebirth & hospital providers

~System challenges in the US that preclude collaborative relationships

~Establishing mutual trust & respect to avoid care delays

~Promoting physical, mental, & emotional safety during a transfer

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