Down to Birth

Cynthia Overgard & Trisha Ludwig

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth and postpartum --- beyond the clichés and beyond the system. With 40 years' combined experience in midwifery, childbirth education and advocacy, publishing, research and postpartum care, we've guided thousands of families toward safer, more empowered choices. Down to Birth is all about safe childbirth, while recognizing a safe outcome isn't all that matters. We challenge the status quo, explore women's rights in childbirth, and feature women from all over the world, shining shine light on the policies, culture, and systemic forces that shape our most intimate and transformative of life experiences. You'll hear the birth stories of our clients, listeners and numerous celebrities. You'll benefit from our expert-interviews, and at any time you can submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. With millions of downloads and listeners in 90 countries, our worldwide community of parents and birth professionals coms together to learn, question and create change, personally and societally. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month. Become informed, feel empowered, and join the movement toward better maternity care in the United States and worldwide. As always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.

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  1. 7h ago

    #390 | Tongue Ties, Airway Health & the Long-Term Effects of Poor Oral Development with Hilary Fritch, DMD

    What if a tongue tie is about much more than breastfeeding? Biological and airway dentist Dr. Hilary Fritch, DMD, joins us to explain how tongue function, jaw development, nasal breathing, and sleep are interconnected, and why problems that begin in infancy can have effects that extend well into adulthood. We discuss how the tongue helps shape the palate and jaw, why breastfeeding plays such an important role in facial development, what a high or narrow palate can mean for breathing and feeding, and why so many children today have crowded mouths and insufficient room for their wisdom teeth. Hilary explains the relationship between mouth breathing, fragmented sleep, snoring, and symptoms that can look like ADHD, as well as the signs parents can watch for in their own children. We also get into tongue-tie releases in babies, children, and adults; when a frenulum actually needs to be treated; myofunctional therapy; airway expansion; mouth breathing and mouth taping; the connection between the tongue and fascia throughout the body; and why correcting oral function early can change the way a child's face, jaw, and airway develop. Plus, we discuss why tongue ties can be both overdiagnosed and undertreated, what parents should look for when evaluating their child's airway, and why an airway dentist may see things that a conventional dental exam does not. ********** Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

  2. Oct 14

    #389 | October Breastfeeding Q&A: Colic, Getting Pregnant & Breastfeeding “Rules”

    Welcome to another Breastfeeding Q&A episode. Today, we start with a conversation about breastfeeding advice on social media and ask our community which breastfeeding “rules” they wish they had never heard. For today's questions, Trisha responds to these listener topics:  Getting your period back while breastfeeding and whether you need to wean to conceive  Night nursing at 14 months and how prolactin can affect the return of ovulation  Colic, gas, high-pitched crying, and a baby who suddenly struggles at the breast  What else to consider when a three-month-old is having difficulty nursing  Taking a week-long trip without your 16-month-old and whether time apart could lead to weaning  Maintaining milk supply while traveling and returning to breastfeeding after separation For quickies, we tackle waking newborns to feed, infant breast preferences, uneven milk production, when supply regulates, hospital lactation consultants, nipple shields, weaning age, letdown, mastitis and clogged ducts, night sweats, collecting colostrum during pregnancy, and whether a painless, effective latch ever needs fixing. ********** Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

  3. Oct 7

    #388 | Twin Home Birth at 38 Weeks: Leaving High-Risk Care and Choosing a Midwife

    When Victoria learned at 10 weeks that she was carrying MoDi twins, she was immediately placed in high-risk care and told to expect frequent monitoring, an operating-room birth, and potentially a C-section. But as her pregnancy progressed, the fear and anxiety she felt at every appointment led her to reconsider the model of care she had accepted. Victoria joins us to share how she left her OB and maternal-fetal medicine team midway through pregnancy and found a home birth midwife experienced with twins and vaginal breech birth. She takes us through the pressure she faced when leaving the practice, the surprising moment during labor when she went from one to nine centimeters, and the births of her two healthy boys at home at 38 weeks and one day. We also discuss preparing nutritionally for a twin pregnancy, the Brewer diet and her focus on protein, navigating fears planted during pregnancy, giving birth to a second baby just minutes after the first, tandem breastfeeding twins while also nursing a toddler, and the role prayer and faith played throughout her pregnancy and birth. ********** Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

  4. Oct 1

    #387 | September Q&A: Home Birth Reactions, Miscarriage Prevention, Short Umbilical Cords, Stalled Pushing, Postpartum Anxiety, Tandem Breastfeeding

    Welcome to the September Q&A! Today we kick things off with your answers to the question, “What did people say when they found out you were planning a home birth?” From being told you’re putting your baby in danger and that you’ll end up in the ER to family members questioning your midwife, calling you brave, or even threatening to tell your husband not to let you, you had a lot to say. Then we get into your questions. One mother is seven weeks pregnant after a 12-week miscarriage earlier this year that resulted in significant hemorrhage and an ambulance transfer. Her midwife has recommended a miscarriage prevention protocol that includes baby aspirin, progesterone cream, and supplements. Is there evidence that these interventions prevent miscarriage after a single loss, and are there additional considerations when there’s a history of hemorrhage? Next, a mother who recently had her first baby at home noticed that her baby’s umbilical cord was quite short, making it difficult to bring her baby fully up to her chest during her water birth. She’s considering a free birth in the future and wants to know whether having a short cord once makes it more likely to happen again, what determines cord length, and whether a short cord poses any particular risks during birth. Then, a listener asks about a home birth she recently attended where the mother pushed for two to two and a half hours, her contractions eventually stopped, and the baby was not descending. The mother ultimately transferred to the hospital, but could rest have been another option? We discuss what it means when contractions stop during pushing, when a long second stage becomes concerning, and what might help labor get going again. Quickies this month include suddenly resenting your pets after having a baby, homeschooling, tandem breastfeeding a newborn and three-year-old, normal pumping output, pacifier use while breastfeeding, C-section after a traumatic shoulder dystocia, measuring three days behind on an early ultrasound, trying again after miscarriage, weaning from exclusive pumping, showering and self-care postpartum, postpartum anxiety improving around nine months, postpartum care after stillbirth, sleep versus exercise versus sunlight, postpartum depression and anxiety in fathers, grounding yourself during anxiety, and whether postpartum depression is more likely to recur with subsequent babies. Call us with your questions, comments or stories at 802-GET-DOWN! #385 | The Lindsay Clancy Case: Postpartum Psychosis or Psychiatric Drug Reaction? with Dr. Roger McFillin Postpartum Psychosis: The Signs, Risks, Symptoms and Recovery Livestream: Should we homeschool? Ask a Mom whose family thrived. ********** Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

  5. Sep 16

    #385 | The Lindsay Clancy Case: Postpartum Psychosis or Psychiatric Drug Reaction? with Dr. Roger McFillin

    The tragic case of Lindsay Clancy has ignited a national conversation about postpartum psychosis, maternal mental health, and criminal responsibility. Clinical psychologist Dr. Roger McFillin of The Radically Genuine Podcast believes a critical part of the story has been largely overlooked: the psychiatric care Lindsay received in the months leading up to what happened. Roger returns to Down to Birth to examine Lindsay’s medical history, severe sleep deprivation, reported reactions to psychiatric drugs, and the extraordinary number of prescriptions she received from multiple providers in a matter of months. We discuss what happens when adverse drug reactions are interpreted as worsening mental illness, why the psychiatric standard of care deserves greater scrutiny, and whether what happened to Lindsay was truly postpartum psychosis at all. We also confront the difficult question of personal responsibility, and whether the role of psychiatric drugs and medical care can be examined separately from the question of criminal responsibility. Although this is a deeply unsettling topic, we feel families will benefit from the facts of this case, particularly around informed consent, the known side effects of psychiatric drugs, personal accountability, and a medical system Roger believes failed Lindsay Clancy and her family long before she committed this unimaginable tragedy. We hope this conversation offers reassurance to mothers who have been left fearing that postpartum psychosis can simply strike without warning, while encouraging women to trust themselves, ask questions, and understand the risks and benefits of the care they receive. We also hope it helps fathers to better understand what to watch for, what questions to ask, and how to advocate for and protect the women and children they love. ********** Check out our previous episode with Dr. Roger McFillin here: #235 | Solution or Sham? The Anti-Depressant Industry Exposed with Dr. Roger McFillin Access our workshops on postpartum: Understanding Postpartum Psychosis Overcoming Postnatal Depletion Postpartum Rage: What To Do About It Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

  6. Sep 2

    #383 | A Second Home Birth: Vocalizing, Instinct & Skilled Support

    Birth doula and mother of two Carson Meyer joins us to share the story of her second home birth and the very different emotions that came with approaching birth after such a positive first experience. Carson talks about the anxiety she carried in the final weeks of pregnancy, the problem with predicting when labor will begin, and her persistent worry that her midwife might not make it to the birth. We also discuss what it means to feel safe enough to be completely uninhibited in labor, why some women are quiet while others are intensely vocal, and the connection between the jaw, throat, pelvic floor, and the sounds women instinctively make in birth. Carson shares how she prepared her young daughter to be present during labor, what happened when things suddenly began moving much faster than expected, and why her concerns about having her midwife there ultimately proved significant. This is a conversation about trusting birth without pretending it never requires help and about the difference a calm, skilled provider can make when it does. Carson Meyer on Instagram Carson Meyer Make Your Hospital Birth Feel Like Home Send us Fan Mail Support the show Access our workshops: Have a Physiologic Birth in the Hospital and Ultrasound: The Research vs Rhetoric Needed -- for 20% off DrinkLMNT --  for FREE 8-day supply Primally Pure Skincare: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH Postpartum Soothe: Use code DOWNTOBIRTH ENERGYBits Superfood--for 20% off Join Patreon here IG @downtobirthshow Call 802-GET-DOWN. Watch us on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice.

4.8
out of 5
582 Ratings

About

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth and postpartum --- beyond the clichés and beyond the system. With 40 years' combined experience in midwifery, childbirth education and advocacy, publishing, research and postpartum care, we've guided thousands of families toward safer, more empowered choices. Down to Birth is all about safe childbirth, while recognizing a safe outcome isn't all that matters. We challenge the status quo, explore women's rights in childbirth, and feature women from all over the world, shining shine light on the policies, culture, and systemic forces that shape our most intimate and transformative of life experiences. You'll hear the birth stories of our clients, listeners and numerous celebrities. You'll benefit from our expert-interviews, and at any time you can submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. With millions of downloads and listeners in 90 countries, our worldwide community of parents and birth professionals coms together to learn, question and create change, personally and societally. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month. Become informed, feel empowered, and join the movement toward better maternity care in the United States and worldwide. As always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.

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