Birth Uprising: Recent Episodes
Dr. Sarah
Welcome! Grab a cup of coffee & listen each week as Dr. Sarah, a chiropractor, birth educator, and advocate for informed choice helps you think more critically about everything from prenatal care to birth, parenting and living a holistic lifestyle. When you know all of your options, you can truly choose what is right for you and your family. Step off of the conveyor belt, and into more confident and empowered choices.
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast I'm breaking down all the different types of midwife credentials so you can easily understand who you're hiring. All midwives are NOT created equal, and have different training, philosophies on birth, and work in different locations.
You'll walk away from this episode with a clear understanding of all the types of midwives, giving you the confidence to choose the right provider and setting for your birth.
FIND MEInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingOn the webDr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Happy almost Thanksgiving!
This week I'm re-sharing an important episode that Emily & I recorded last year around this time, talking all about inductions around the holidays. In this episode we discuss the reasons why inductions rise around the holidays and what to do if you're facing an induction you don't want.
Here are the links I discussed in this episode:
Holiday Inductions Freebie - www.birthuprising.com/resources
Perfect Supplements - bit.ly/PerfectSupps
Truly Free Cleaners - https://bit.ly/trulyfree300loads
AirDoctor - http://bit.ly/AirDoctorBU
AquaTru - https://bit.ly/AquaTruBU
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the webDr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
Another Pint-sized Pod is here (tiny podcasts for busy moms)!
In this episode I discuss:
- why location matters
- why finding a new provider is crucial
- partners who've been traumatized by birth
- deciding not to have more children because of birth trauma
- how to prepare for next time
- and more
FIND ME
@birthuprising on Instagram
www.birthuprising.com on the web
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast I talk with my friend Sarah Smith - a mother of 3 farming in the feminine in Central North Carolina. After the birth of her 3rd son she developed pelvic organ prolapse and was told surgery was her only option for feeling normal again. Refusing to accept this lie, Sarah worked for eight years as a strength coach and movement & breathing specialist to develop methods to not only conquer her own prolapse but to develop coaching methods, digital courses and methodologies to help hundreds of other women overcome theirs as well.
In this episode we discuss:
- what pelvic organ prolapse is & what it feels like
- our personal experiences with it
- how Sarah healed her prolapse & became asymptomatic
- how to get formally diagnosed
- what to expect at pelvic floor PT
- and more
For more information on Sarah's journey, her unique approach and realization that a return to authentic womanhood is the way to overcome prolapse, you can listen to her podcast, Dirty Strength radio (which I was a guest on!), read her Substack, The Wise Women's Circle, and sign up for a private 1:1 consult via her website, www.sarahsmith.me .
FIND ME
@birthuprising on Instagram
www.birthuprising.com on the web
Welcome to the first episode of Pint-sized Pods! Mini episodes of the Birth Uprising Podcast that you can get through in 10-20 minutes.In this episode I cover: my experience with a hospital birth class what you're unlikely to be taught if you take a class at the hospital why getting an outside perspective of the hospital is important and moreFIND MEInstagram@birthuprisingwww.birthuprising.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily & I talk with her doula client Raechal, a first-time mom who had planned a homebirth, but ended up with a c-section. Raechal is a single mother and entrepreneur who lost her partner at the very beginning of her pregnancy. She made sure to educate herself in ALL of her options for birth, and so when her midwife suggested moving to the hospital, and then a c-section was suggested, she knew it was the right thing for her at that time.
In this episode we discuss:
- how being informed helps you maintain autonomy during a transfer
- how knowing your options can leave you without regret after a birth that didn't go how you had planned
- the challenges of navigating pregnancy, birth & postpartum without a partner and so much more
Raechal can be found on Instagram at @msraechal.
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily & I interview Dr. Morgan MacDermott, a naturopathic doctor and the author of the Mastitis Manual. Having experienced mastitis more times than she can count, Dr. Morgan sets out to make postpartum an easier time for mothers through all of her offerings and content.
In this episode we discuss:
- mastitis - what it is, the types, and how to treat it
- tongue & lips ties and our theories behind why they're so prevalent today
- the connection between sleep disordered breathing & ADHD symptoms
- and so much more
Dr. Morgan can be found on her Instagram account at @morganmacdermott, her website at www.milkmedicine.com, and on her podcast called Healthy As A Mother.
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, I interview Gal Shyli Rosenberger - a mom of 4 who has experienced the unmedicated birth of twins in the hospital, a birth center birth during the insanity of 2020, followed by a home birth. Gal is a certified Hypnobirthing Educator, Postpartum Doula, and owner of Embrace Birth & Beyond. She also runs a Facebook group called Peanut Moms of Westchester, where she gathers mothers & their littles to offer a community to so many who feel alone in their parenting journey.
In this episode we discuss:
- her births - including the spontaneous, unmedicated birth of her twins in the hospital (so rare!)
- how sometimes midwives can be more medicalized than obstetricians
- giving birth during the pandemic
- the restrictions (masks, tests) she had to fight for her birth in 2020
- the connection between birth & your confidence
Gal can be found on Instagram at @galshyli, and through email at galshyli@gmail.com.
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily & I talk with Dr. Leah Gordon - a naturopathic physician who focuses her practice on helping women break up with birth control, and supports them during preconception and conception.
In this episode we discuss:
- Dr. Leah's own personal journey with infertility
- How IVF protocols can be shifted to your individual needs
- The #1 reason why Dr. Leah's patients have trouble conceiving
and so much more.
Dr. Leah can be found on socials at @drleahgordon, and her podcast, Healthy As A Mother, can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily & I talk all about uterine transplants. This topic has been floating around the internet lately, so we had to dive in.
In this episode we discuss:
- the history of uterine transplants
- the criteria used to determine who is eligible
- who the donors are
- the intricacy of the surgery & its success rate
- the challenges with doing this procedure on a biological male (trans woman)
- the ethical implications of this surgery
- how this surgery can affect babies
- and so much more
Ethical considerations in the era of the uterine transplant: an update of the Montreal Criteria for the Ethical Feasibility of Uterine Transplantation - https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(13)00636-5/fulltext
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, I talk with entrepreneur, homesteader, wife & mother Amber Sears about all the ways birth changes our lives. We delve into its effects on relationships, sleep, sense-of-self, priorities and more.
In this episode we discuss:
-
homebirth during 2020
-
how challenging postpartum can be
-
navigating relationships after birth
-
adjusting to your new role as a mother
-
eating disorders & the mental load of your body changing during pregnancy
-
breast explant surgery & what surgeons don't tell you
Amber can be found on Instagram at @amberleesears .
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast I talk with Marissa Bergman, a mother, nurse and childbirth educator who wants to bring light to a huge issue facing pregnant women today - that of lack of access to care in areas known as "maternity care deserts".
In this episode we discuss:
-
what a "maternity care desert" is and how prevalent they are
-
the cost of hospital birth vs home birth
-
the one 6 week postpartum visit & returning to work
-
feeling "mom guilt"
-
how hospitals squash their competition & keep birth centers from opening
-
the politicization of health care
Marissa can be found on Instagram at @momtomomwithmarissa .
FIND US Instagram Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast Dr. Sarah & Emily interview Alicia Macleod, a homeschooling mom of 3 who recently gave birth to a breech baby unassisted. She had planned a homebirth with midwives, but a precipitous labor, combined with baby turning breech last minute, left Alicia & her husband in a surprise scenario.
In this episode we discuss:
-
the differences between hospital & homebirth
-
how the attitude of homebirth midwives differs from hospital providers
-
how birth can be an everyday life event
-
why sharing stories like Alicia's is important, even if you receive hate
Alicia can be found on Instagram at @unadulterated_alicia.
FIND USInstagramDr. Sarah - @birthuprisingEmily - @emilystanwyckOn the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.comEmily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Dr. Sarah interviews special guest Courtney Valdez, a mom of 2, wife, homemaker and an independent business owner. For her first birth she chose a birth center that sold itself as a "spa-like environment", but, when it came time to welcome her daughter, was anything but. Her experience led her to birth her second at home, and her experiences were night and day.
In this episode we discuss:
-
a birth center birth gone wrong
-
the term "holistic" as a marketing strategy
-
the financial reasons babies are sent to the NICU
-
the use of the term "birthing people" and our feelings on it
-
why it's important to ask your birth center or midwife their hospital transfer rate
Courtney can be found on Instagram at @southwestbirthworker.
FIND US Instagram Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode Dr. Sarah talks with special guest Gaby Cavins - a military veteran whose traumatic, near-death military hospital birth experience led her to help others avoid that fate. Gaby is the Executive Director of the Military Birth Resource Network & Postpartum Coalition where she helps women in the military to have better experiences during pregnancy, birth, postpartum & breastfeeding. She also is very active in promoting legislation for change to policies that affect military families.
In this episode they discuss:
-
military hospitals vs. civilian hospitals
-
Gaby's managed placenta birth & hemorrhage
-
military hierarchy & its effects on compliance
-
giving birth "where you feel safest"
You can find Gaby online at mbrnpc.org and on Instagram at @gabycavins.
FIND US Instagram Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode, Dr. Sarah & Emily discuss the most important things to think about when preparing for postpartum. Most women go into their births knowing what they want, but don't realize the changes that they need to prepare for after the baby has arrived. They cover:
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how your birth experience can affect your postpartum experience
-
why nutrition is key
-
the benefits of a postpartum doula
-
navigating breastfeeding
-
creating boundaries in your postpartum bubble
-
unexpected changes in your relationships
-
options for getting the most sleep as a new mom
FIND US Instagram Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily and I talk with Kemi "Birthjoy" Johnson. Kemi is a mother & badass birth keeper from the UK who gave up her midwifery license in order to practice more ethically, without the nonsensical rules & regulations that harm women. Like us, Kemi is tired of seeing women abused in maternity care every day, and doesn't hold back about how she feels about this topic. We discuss the different types of midwives, how midwifery was stolen by the medical establishment, the true cost of maternity care, the conditioning of women to be "good girls", and so much more.
Kemi can be found on her Instagram at @kemibirthjoyjohnson and on her website at www.kemibirthjoyjohnson.com.
FIND US Instagram Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Dr. Sarah is joined by Amanda Pahls, a mother of 5 girls (and one boy in heaven). Amanda discusses her first birth in the hospital, and how she was scared and didn't feel in control. She then talks about her homebirths, including the mystery (solved by a chiropractor) of why her labors were basically pain-free. Amanda also discusses the loss of her son, Shepherd, and what she wishes she had known about pregnancy loss beforehand.
Amanda can be found on her Instagram at @amandapahls.
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In Episode 9, Emily and Dr. Sarah discuss "natural" birth - what is it, what is it NOT, and whether or not it can be achieved in a hospital setting. They also discuss males in obstetrics, giving opioids to pregnant and postpartum women, and how this can lead some women to addiction.
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In episode 8 of the Birth Uprising Podcast, our special guest, Calista (Callie), talks about her fertility journey, and how years of hardship finally led her to accept IVF. As someone who lives a very holistic and natural lifestyle, this was a hard road for Callie to walk, and once she was pregnant she decided to forge her own unconventional path by having a homebirth after an IVF conception.
Calista can be found on Instagram at @nourishwithcalista, via email at calista@nourishwithcalista.com, and on her website at www.nourishwithcalista.com.
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Dr. Sarah & Emily discuss the backlash some women receive when deciding to birth at home (or simply birth unmedicated), and the top two reasons why women shame other women about birth.
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
the web
Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast Dr. Sarah talks with long-time doula, best-selling author, and childbirth educator Sallyann Beresford. With over 20 years of experience caring for women and families, Sallyann runs us through her top tips on achieving the birth of your dreams as we break down the main points of her second book, The Art of Giving Birth - Five Key Physiological Principles.
Sallyann can be found on Instagram at @theultimatebirthpartner, and on her website, www.birthability.co.uk.
Her book can be found here on Amazon - https://a.co/d/i2LlmfP
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web
Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In Episode 5 of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Dr. Sarah shares her 3 very different birth stories. After her first pregnancy ended in a missed miscarriage, she lost trust in her body, and ended up with an unnecessary c-section for her first son. For her second she knew she had to take back her power and decided to freebirth, which transformed her life and prompted the creation of Birth Uprising. Her third son was born at home with midwives. She shares what she learned from each birth, and what she would do if she had another.
FIND US
Dr. Sarah - @birthuprising
Emily - @emilystanwyck
On the web
Dr. Sarah - www.birthuprising.com
Emily - www.emilystanwyck.com
In this episode Dr. Sarah & Emily discuss a recent birth Emily attended that was perfect... until it wasn't. They dive into what homebirth transfer mamas often face as they enter the hospital system, the often fractured relationship between homebirth workers and hospital staff, and how that can lead to medical neglect.
To check out the Holistic Health Bundle and join Dr. Sarah in detoxifying her home, check it out at tinyurl.com/holisticbundles. Don't forget the bundle is only available until Sunday, 1/8/22!
In this episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, co-host Emily shares her two birth stories - both homebirths, but very different. With her midwives deciding to call 911 for assistance after her first, and a lot of pain, she knew she had to do things differently the second time around.
In this second episode of the Birth Uprising Podcast, Emily and Dr. Sarah discuss the increase in inductions before holidays, what your options are if you're feeling pressure to induce, and how to help a friend who might be in this situation.
Dr. Sarah's free handout on Holiday Inductions can be found HERE.
Welcome to the Birth Uprising Podcast! In this introductory episode, Dr. Sarah & Emily discuss their reasons for wanting to start a podcast, what they hope to accomplish, and who they hope to help.