Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to Season 7! Host Bianca Sprague sits down with Dr. Sam Vaive, psychologist, sexual health educator, author, indigenous-informed full-spectrum doula, yoga teacher, sound therapist, and founder of Sound Birthing, for a wide-ranging conversation blending neuroscience, psychology, and birth physiology. In this episode: The fear of childbirth (tokophobia) and just how common it really isHow cortisol shapes our perception of pain during labor... and why "more fear = more pain"The "screaming birth trope": how TV and movies (Knocked Up, Friends, and more) wire our brains to expect birth to be terrifyingScript theory and how media shapes our beliefs about our bodies, long before we're ever pregnantBianca's personal story: how she and her sister witnessed the same empowering home birth as kids, yet had completely different birth experiences as adultsWhy the environment of a hospital room (cold, bright lights, hunger, itchy sheets) spikes cortisol and stressThe surprising benefits of pooping during labor, and how it helps build your baby's microbiomeTwo practical breathing tools (pranayama) you can use to stay calm and in control during pregnancy and birthHow patriarchy, capitalism, and "intensive parenting" culture pile pressure onto birthing people and new parentsGuest links: Dr. Sam Vaive's book: Mind Body Birth: Your Guide to Fearless Childbirth — available on Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and soundbirthing.comWorkbooks: Birth Map and Birth Map EmbodimentOnline course and guided sound baths available at soundbirthing.comOne-on-one sessions available virtually worldwide (Michigan Medicaid accepted)Bebo Mia links: Scholarships now open: DM "scholarship" on Instagram @bebomiaincEarly bird pricing for the Full-Spectrum Doula Training & Certification: use code birthbird to save $300Free Mindset Mini Course: www.bebomia.com/bibSupport the show www.bebomia.com Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn or Twitter.
