Doulas On Call

Misty and Tammy

Doulas on Call is a heartfelt and real podcast hosted by two seasoned doulas, sharing stories, wisdom, and unfiltered insights from life on call. From birth room moments to behind-the-scenes support, we explore what it really means to serve growing families with compassion and experience.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Meet Lauren: A Vaginal Breech Birth & Introducing Full Circle Birth Collective

    Send us Fan Mail We sit down with our business partner, Lauren, to demystify breech birth, explain why it’s not automatically an emergency, and name the real reasons families feel pushed into one path. We share Lauren’s personal breech story, talk through ECV and provider training gaps, and come back to informed consent and what it means to feel safe while making birth decisions.  • who Lauren is and why breech birth shaped her path into doula work  • what “breech” means and why the panic is often bigger than the facts  • how vaginal breech birth became rare as training and support declined  • what an ECV is and how it’s typically done • the stress of being late in pregnancy and suddenly losing your planned setting  • why choice matters and how different families carry different risk thresholds  • how we think about safety, support, and provider willingness in any birth plan  • specialty consults, breech consults, and finding reliable resources  AND....our official announcement of Full Circle Birth Collective! If you love this episode, like it, share it, tag it, leave a review.  And if you know somebody who’s navigating pregnancy and maybe they just found out their baby is breach, please share this with them.  The Birth Hour (Lauren's full birth story) MamasteFit (Lauren's full birth story) Breech Without Borders (Find a breech provider & learn more about breech birth) Full Circle Birth Collective website (Lauren's 1:1 breech consult) Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    31 min
  2. May 20

    Preparing For Birth: Beyond the Hospital Bag

    Send us Fan Mail We talk physical birth preparation that works for medicated and unmedicated labor: everyday movement that meets your body where it is, yoga ball posture habits, hip mobility, and why we love Spinning Babies for balance and space rather than “moving” baby. We also get specific about hydration and electrolytes, especially for dry climates like Denver, and why rest is not laziness but part of training for the marathon of labor. Then we talk how pelvic floor work can help with pushing, breathing, and even back and hip pain. Mental and emotional birth preparation matters just as much. We unpack the fear tension pain cycle, how to protect your headspace from horror stories, and how to choose the right people in your birth room so you feel safe being vulnerable. Finally, we compare coping tools for unmedicated birth like counterpressure, hydrotherapy, TENS units, and labor combs with pain management options like epidurals and nitrous, plus the truth that positioning and movement still matter either way. If this helped you feel more grounded, subscribe, share it with a pregnant friend, and leave a quick review so more families can find practical birth education that doesn’t trade on fear. Spinning Babies Daily Essentials Mamaste Fit Birth Prep Briget Teyler YouTube Misty's PT (located in Parker, Co.) Birth Ball Positive Birth Stories Christian Hypnobirthing Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    46 min
  3. May 13

    Midwife Or OB? What You Need To Know

    Send us Fan Mail Midwife or OB? Most parents don’t realize they’re choosing more than a title, they’re choosing a care model. We’re Misty and Tammy, two doulas who spend a lot of time in hospital birth rooms, and we keep getting the same question: what’s the real difference between hospital-based midwives and obstetricians during pregnancy and labor, and how do you know which one is right for you? We walk through it with nuance, because we’ve worked with amazing providers on both sides.  We talk about what changes in prenatal visits, including time, education, and how thoroughly options get explained. We unpack how CNMs are trained, why bedside communication can feel different, and how labor support often shifts depending on whether the mindset is “manage labor” or “let labor unfold.” You’ll also hear our on-the-ground perspective on inductions, epidurals, pushing positions, and intermittent versus continuous monitoring, plus why personality fit matters so much when you’re at your most vulnerable.  Then we get practical with a list of questions to bring to any provider: how they feel about inductions and their cutoff dates, what they do when labor stalls, what their C-section rate means in context, who will actually deliver your baby, and how they work with doulas. The biggest takeaway: there’s no single right answer, but you do deserve to feel safe, respected, and informed and you can change your mind if you don’t. Subscribe, share this with a newly pregnant friend, and leave a review with the question you wish you’d asked sooner. Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    35 min
  4. May 6

    Motherhood Then & Now: A Conversation With My Mom.

    Send us Fan Mail Labor started at church, the hospital trip was short, and the Broncos played on the radio while she worked through contractions. For Mother’s Day, we bring on a very special guest, Linda, Tammy’s mom, to tell the story of giving birth in the 1970s and to compare it with what families face in modern pregnancy, hospital birth, and postpartum recovery. We talk about how parents learned about pregnancy before podcasts and social media, what it meant to trust one consistent doctor through prenatal care, and how support looked when dads being in the room was still a newer idea. Linda shares what surprised her, what made her feel strong, and why she didn’t feel the same fear around birth that many parents feel today. We also dig into pain relief options then vs now, the reality of episiotomy repair, and why a doula’s steady presence can help fill gaps when care feels less personal. Postpartum gets real: rest, sleep deprivation, feeding challenges, hormones, and the practical truth that partners can’t read minds. We share simple postpartum tips, honest laughs, and a reminder to stop trying to control everything when it isn’t medically necessary. If you’re pregnant, newly postpartum, or years into motherhood, this conversation offers perspective, warmth, and concrete ways to ask for the support you deserve. Subscribe, share this with a mom who needs it, and leave a review. What’s the one postpartum need you wish someone had handled for you? Sadly, the Broncos lost to the Chicago Bears! 33-14. Linda's, and every other 1970's mother's, textbook of birth. A Child Is Born. Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    36 min
  5. Apr 29

    April~ C-Section Awareness Month

    Send us Fan Mail We talk honestly about cesarean birth from the stats to the emotions, and why C-section support deserves the same care and respect as any other birth. We share how doulas help before, during, and after a C-section, including what makes the OR experience feel calmer and more human.  • C-section awareness month and why we talk about cesarean birth without being anti-C-section  • US and Colorado C-section rates and how hospital variation affects outcomes  • How a first birth can shape later choices and what VBAC really means  • Why families feel “defeated” after an unplanned C-section and how we reframe that story  • Doulas in the OR as emotional and mental support for parents during surgery  • Myth versus fact on body failure, repeat C-sections, and the “easy way out” claim  • Practical ways to influence outcomes through provider choice, movement, and early labor timing  • How continuous doula support reduces anxiety, slows spirals, and creates space for informed consent  Please comment on our podcast or share your experience about what it was like. Hospitals in Colorado are not required to publicly report their C-section rates, though some do choose to share this information. One helpful resource is the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade website, where you can search for available data. If your hospital isn’t listed, you have the right to request this information directly. It’s also important to keep in mind that C-section rates can fluctuate month to month, and individual provider rates may differ significantly within the same hospital. Asking your specific provider about their personal C-section rate can give you a clearer, more accurate picture as you prepare for your birth. Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    35 min
  6. 07/15/2025

    A Historic Shift in Birth Trends: What We're Seeing in the Birth Room

    Send us Fan Mail The birth trend in America is shifting dramatically. For the first time in history, women over 40 are having more babies than teenagers – a complete shift that raises fascinating questions about modern motherhood. Drawing from our extensive experience as birth doulas, we dive into this groundbreaking CDC study showing births to women over 40 have surged 193% since 1990 while teen births plummeted 73%. The statistics align perfectly with what we're seeing in our practice, where approximately 75% of our clients now fall into the "advanced maternal age (geriatric pregnancy)" category. What's driving this shift? We discuss multiple factors: better access to sex education, birth control, career advancement opportunities allowing women to establish themselves professionally before motherhood, evolving dating patterns (with many finding partners later through work or online dating), and remarkable advancements in fertility treatments making pregnancy possible for many who might previously have been unable to conceive in their later reproductive years. But delayed motherhood brings unique challenges. Healthcare providers typically approach pregnancies in women over 35 differently, recommending additional monitoring, earlier inductions, specialized genetic screening, and generally higher levels of medical management. Through personal stories and observations, we examine how older mothers – particularly those who've undergone fertility treatments – often approach birth with different expectations than younger mothers. Having already navigated the complex medical world of reproductive technology, they typically have a different relationship with the healthcare system than women who conceived easily in their twenties. Have you experienced pregnancy after 35? We'd love to hear your story! Text or email us about what you wish your birth team had known about supporting you. Whether you're part of this growing demographic of older mothers or among the declining number of younger parents, your perspective matters to us and our community of listeners navigating similar journeys. The studies referenced in this episode: CDC Study Motherly Article Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    28 min
  7. 06/09/2025

    Real Talk: Postpartum - The Fourth Trimester

    Send us Fan Mail Misty and Tammy unpack the vital role of postpartum doulas and why the "fourth trimester" deserves just as much planning and support as birth itself. WARNING: This episode includes discussion of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), sharing both personal reflections and supportive insight. Some moments may feel heavy, it's ok to pause and come back when you're ready. You are not alone! • Support from a doula can reduce postpartum depression risk by up to 65% • Postpartum doulas provide physical, emotional, and informational support after childbirth • Specializing in newborn care, maternal recovery, household help, emotional support, and resources • Day doulas versus night doulas - different support for different family needs • The postpartum period is often emotionally challenging and isolating for new mothers • Proper support helps mothers feel seen, heard, and validated in their experiences • Many families lack nearby support systems, making professional help essential • We celebrate when families no longer need our services - it means we have done our job • Consider gifting postpartum support to new parents instead of traditional baby items The following studies and resources were used in the making of this episode: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ebb-344-crash-course-perinatal-mood-disorders-treatment-dr-kat-kaeni-perinatal-psychologist-postpartum-support-international/ https://www.motherhoodcenter.com/10-reasons-to-hire-a-postpartum-doula/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9257331/ Recommendations: https://takingcarababies.com/best-swaddle?srsltid=AfmBOopERR6Ghb-pj7E5DdhWglJk3gFq7SU4LPMBlu3_IDQiwDxs_QfD https://milehighdoulas.com/ Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    32 min
  8. 05/05/2025

    Called to Birth: Our Doula Origins

    Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what it would be like to have a trusted friend by your side during childbirth who knows all the insider tips, brings humor to intense moments, and supports you without judgment? Meet Misty and Tammy, two passionate birth doulas from Denver who are breaking open the birth conversation with refreshing honesty and plenty of laughter. In this premiere episode, Misty and Tammy introduce themselves as your "birth besties" and explain why they felt compelled to create a podcast that celebrates ALL types of birth experiences. Unlike many birth resources that lean heavily toward one philosophy, these doulas embrace the full spectrum of birth choices without judgment or fear-mongering. Both hosts share their fascinating origin stories—how witnessing births at young ages (Misty at 9, Tammy at 12) sparked lifelong fascinations with the birth process. Through their combined decades of experience supporting hundreds of families, they've developed a perspective that blends evidence-based information with emotional intelligence and practical support. They demystify what a doula actually does (hint: they're not "magical birth wizards" but rather your "no TMI best friend"), explain why continuous support during labor leads to better outcomes, and share heartwarming stories about the deep connections they form with clients. As Tammy beautifully puts it, what birthing people often need most is simply someone to look them in the eye during a challenging moment and say, "I believe you." Looking for birth stories that will make you laugh, cry, and feel empowered? Subscribe now and join these delightful doulas for conversations with birth professionals, real parents sharing their experiences, and plenty of insider tips—including which snacks are best for labor! Whether you're pregnant, planning to be, or just fascinated by birth, this podcast promises to educate, entertain, and remind you that your body is absolutely magical. The study referenced in this episode is listed below. 💕Evidence Based Birth is another great resource for all things pregnancy, birth and postpartum. https://evidencebasedbirth.com/ https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003766.pub6/full Thanks for listening!  Always feel free to message us for more information or, if you have information you feel we should see, please send that. We LOVE to hear and learn from you!

    29 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Doulas on Call is a heartfelt and real podcast hosted by two seasoned doulas, sharing stories, wisdom, and unfiltered insights from life on call. From birth room moments to behind-the-scenes support, we explore what it really means to serve growing families with compassion and experience.