268 episodes

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on having a safe and informed birth, which starts with determining if you've hired the right provider. If we had to boil it down to a single premise, it's this: A healthy mom and baby isn't all that matters. We have more than 30 years' experience between us in midwifery, informed rights advocacy, publishing, childbirth education, postpartum support and breastfeeding, and we've personally served thousands of women and couples. Listen to the birth stories of our clients, listeners and celebrities, catch our expert-interviews, and submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and also at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month, so be sure to join our worldwide community. We are a Top .5% podcast globally with listeners in more than 80 countries every week. Become informed, empowered, and have a great time in the process. Join us and reach out any time - we love to hear from you. And as always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.

Down to Birth Down to Birth +

    • Kids & Family
    • 5.0 • 1 Rating

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on having a safe and informed birth, which starts with determining if you've hired the right provider. If we had to boil it down to a single premise, it's this: A healthy mom and baby isn't all that matters. We have more than 30 years' experience between us in midwifery, informed rights advocacy, publishing, childbirth education, postpartum support and breastfeeding, and we've personally served thousands of women and couples. Listen to the birth stories of our clients, listeners and celebrities, catch our expert-interviews, and submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and also at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month, so be sure to join our worldwide community. We are a Top .5% podcast globally with listeners in more than 80 countries every week. Become informed, empowered, and have a great time in the process. Join us and reach out any time - we love to hear from you. And as always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.

    #263 | Amanda's Good Birth Despite Abandonment, Harassment and Threats

    #263 | Amanda's Good Birth Despite Abandonment, Harassment and Threats

    Amanda Holden was planning a home birth with her first baby, having hired a midwife she loved. When she reached 42 weeks, her midwife terminated her care abruptly, due to Colorado state law prohibiting midwives from attending late-term home births. With a heavy heart but optimistic mindset, Amanda and her husband made the decision to birth in a hospital rather than have an unattended home birth. Using the education she had under her belt by that point, Amanda rallied herself into believing her hospital birth would go mostly according to her plan of a natural, undisturbed birth. Once in labor, she settled into her hospital bed with a pink satin eye mask over her eyes, having no idea what she was about to endure: being relentlessly badgered, labeled, patronized, and threatened throughout her labor. She declined continuous monitoring and vaginal exams and the doctors retaliated by overwhelming her with a roomful of strangers watching her laboring naked in the tub, while "reporting" her over the phone in her presence. The doctor even threatened that Amanda's baby would likely need to be airlifted on life support to another hospital as soon as she was born, and that Amanda wouldn't be able to go with her baby. Meanwhile, there was no legitimate reason to suspect the baby would need life support. At one point, the doctor even brought in a male security guard into Amanda's birth space, claiming she (the doctor) didn't feel "safe" around Amanda's husband, who simply advocated for Amanda through the birth. When it was finally time to give birth, Amanda was tricked into lying down and then forcefully put on her back against her will. She says she gave birth "feeling hated" by everyone in the room, and one nurse privately told Amanda's mother she had seen meth patients in labor treated with more respect than Amanda. When Amanda gave birth vaginally to her girl, she felt elated, and noticed every medical staff in the room stared at her and her baby with utterly joyless expressions, after all that Amanda had achieved. Amanda and her husband have been doing somatic healing to process their experience, but she is absolutely clear that the birth itself caused her no distress or discomfort. Despite all drama, Amanda's story is ultimately inspiring because of her and her husband's resolve not to succumb under truly extraordinary pressure.

    **********
    Down to Birth is sponsored by:
    Vitality: An athleisure brand made for women, by women, designed with style and comfort for pregnancy and beyond.
    Davin & Adley-- The perfect nursing and pumping bra combined
    Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
    Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
    Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
    Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.


    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 1 hr 1 min
    #262 | April Q&A: Prenatal Vitamins, Premature Rupture of Membranes, Painless Breech Birth, Precipitous Labor, HypnoBirthing, Prenatal Hypertension

    #262 | April Q&A: Prenatal Vitamins, Premature Rupture of Membranes, Painless Breech Birth, Precipitous Labor, HypnoBirthing, Prenatal Hypertension

    Welcome to the April Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha. Today, we invite you to guess the two things that Cynthia and Trisha will never talk about on the podcast. Hint: They are not scandalous or controversial. Shoot us a DM with your guesses! Next, hear the most annoying habits from our podcast community regarding their partners. As for our questions this month, here we go:
    I had a pain-free breech vaginal birth. Why do some women experience pain at birth and others don't?My second baby was born precipitously at home. Should I plan for my third to be the same and when should I call the midwife?Does learning hypnobirthing techniques lead to a more peaceful birth experience?I have white-coat hypertension. Will this risk me out of a birth center birth and do I need to take aspirin in pregnancy?What percentage of women whose water breaks before labor begins will start labor within an hour or two?Are prenatal vitamins really necessary and if so, which ones?In our extended version of today's episode, we answer questions regarding breaking your tailbone in labor, whether you should tell your neighbors if you are planning a home birth, whether it's expected or appropriate to plan on feeding your home-birth midwives, and if it is necessary to be catheterized in labor if you can't void while in labor.

    In our quickie segment, we discuss the necessity or not of ovulation tracking apps, male versus female sperm, the midwives' brew, and how loud the music is in our cars while driving.

    Thank you as always for your wonderful questions! Please call in your question to 802-GET-DOWN or 802-438-3696. To get the extended version of today's episode (and all episodes 100% ad-free) just click the subscribe button on Apple podcasts or download the Patreon App and join any tier.
    **********
    Down to Birth is sponsored by:
    Vitality: An athleisure brand made for women, by women, designed with style and comfort for pregnancy and beyond.
    Davin & Adley-- The perfect nursing and pumping bra combined
    Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
    Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
    Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
    Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.

    DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.




    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 51 min
    #261 | Emma the Naked Doula on Pleasurable, Orgasmic Birth and Her New Book

    #261 | Emma the Naked Doula on Pleasurable, Orgasmic Birth and Her New Book

    Emma Armstrong,  author of The Fearless Birth Book, and Instagram birth influencer at @thenakeddoulaofficial, joins us today to delve into the meaning of pleasurable birth. We ask the questions, "Why should a woman want a pleasurable birth, what does it even mean, and what holds women back from experiencing pleasure instead of pain?" In this enlightening and off-the-record-style conversation, we uncover the emotions holding us back from ecstatic, pleasurable, even orgasmic birth. Emma opens up about her unexpected cesarean birth and how a woman who teaches other women about vaginal birth can feel confident in doing so despite her never experiencing a vaginal birth herself. This is about healing, letting go and experiencing deep, ecstatic pleasure.

    The Naked Doula on Instagram
    The Fearless Birth Book
    **********
    Down to Birth is sponsored by:
    Vitality: An athleisure brand made for women, by women, designed with style and comfort for pregnancy and beyond.
    Davin & Adley-- The perfect nursing and pumping bra combined.
    Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
    Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.
    Needed -- Our favorite nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy.
    Use promo code: DOWNTOBIRTH for all of the above sponsors.

    DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this unique link and receive a free 8-day supply. Be sure to use the unique link to buy yours today.
    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 44 min
    #260 | Triplets at Home! With Traditional Midwife Kristine Lauria @globalmidwife64

    #260 | Triplets at Home! With Traditional Midwife Kristine Lauria @globalmidwife64

    You won't find an obstetrician anywhere in the United States who will birth triplets vaginally in the hospital, but today you'll hear the story of traditional midwife Kristine Lauria who welcomed them at home with the respect and reverence for birth every woman deserves.  Kristine witnesses some of the most "high risk" births around the world in her midwifery work for Doctors Without Borders. She has attended over 500 breech, twin, and triplets births! 

    In this episode, you will hear the story of a mother in her 7th pregnancy birthing three babies at home as told by Kristine.  We discuss what it means to be a traditional midwife, what happens in a triplet homebirth, the dying art of midwifery skills, and how to manually extract a baby at home. You'll hear how the mother's own mother received the first baby and how this mother avoided preterm birth by leaving the hospital AMA after an episode of bleeding and went on to naturally birth her babies at 38 weeks with perfect APGAR scores! This story is a beautiful example of the true midwifery model of care, a fiercely dedicated mother, and a birth team who deeply trust the innate process of physiologic birth regardless of the number of babies or their positions. 
    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 1 hr 6 min
    #259 | Resisting Coercion: Carolyn Marrone's Story of a Miscalculated Due Date and Standing Up To Pushy Providers

    #259 | Resisting Coercion: Carolyn Marrone's Story of a Miscalculated Due Date and Standing Up To Pushy Providers

    When Carolyn was pregnant with her first baby, she went past her "due date." After declining an induction at 41+6, her doctor questioned her integrity as a mother, stating, "I am surprised your motherly instinct (to protect your baby) hasn't kicked in yet."  Knowing that she and her baby were ok, she continued to wait despite heavy pressure from her OB. When she passed the 42-week mark, feeling out of options and having been told she was going to have a ten-pound baby, Carolyn accepted an induction on her 31st birthday. Her baby was born vaginally, weighing seven pounds and five ounces.  Looking back at her conception date, her baby was more likely closer to just forty weeks.  Carolyn's entertaining story highlights the inexcusable emotional abuse of her OB while demonstrating Carolyn's remarkable trust and faith in her baby and her body.

    Follow Carolyn on Instagram @carolynnmarrone

    **********
    Down to Birth is sponsored by:
    Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy
    DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT today and receive a free sample kit. Stay salty.
    Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
    Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort after vaginal birth. 
    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 50 min
    #258 | March Q&A: Implants & Breastfeeding, Giving Birth Advice, Ultrasounds, Newborn Transition in Waterbirthing, Posterior Babies, Family Boundaries

    #258 | March Q&A: Implants & Breastfeeding, Giving Birth Advice, Ultrasounds, Newborn Transition in Waterbirthing, Posterior Babies, Family Boundaries

    We are back with the March Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha.  We kick off today's episode with an unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime story of an OB who holds off a mother's pushing to tie a bow in the baby's hair before being born! Next, we get into our questions beginning with a mother who wants to offer important birth advice to her friend's daughter but doesn't know if it is her place or how to not overstep boundaries. Also, what questions to ask at a late third-trimester ultrasound to best avoid unnecessary interventions? Then, Barbara Harper of Waterbirth International answers the question of why it takes a baby longer to "come to" after a water birth. Another mother inquires about how much her energy and anxieties can influence her baby's arrival--is her stress causing her baby to be born "late?" 

    In the extended version of today's episode, available on Apple subscriptions or Patreon, we discuss whether or not a pregnancy is easier or harder based on which gender baby you are carrying, how to navigate boundaries with a mother-in-law who has been blatantly disrespectful but planning to help you postpartum. Finally, how do breast implants impact the ability to exclusively breastfeed?  We also have doula Colleen Myatt, a spinning babies instructor, answer a mother's question about posterior babies.

    As always, we close with a round of rapid-fire quickies covering tongue ties, evening primrose oil, delivery time for the placenta, setting boundaries, soothing crying babies, and more! 

    Thank you for your excellent questions and keep them coming at 802-GET-DOWN or 802-438-3696. For the extended version of today's episode please join our Patreon page or subscribe on Apple podcasts.
    **********
    Down to Birth is sponsored by:
    David & Adley -- Nursing bras that are stylish and allow hands-free pumping
    Needed -- Optimal nutritional products to nourish yourself before, during, and after pregnancy
    DrinkLMNT -- Purchase LMNT with this link today and receive a free sample kit.
    Silverette Nursing Cups -- Soothe and heal sore nipples with 925 silver nursing cups.
    Postpartum Soothe -- Herbs and padsicles to heal and comfort.


    Connect with us on Patreon for our exclusive content.
    Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
    Instagram @downtobirthshow
    Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
    Work with Cynthia:
    203-952-7299
    HypnoBirthingCT.com
    Work with Trisha:
    734-649-6294
    Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.

    • 50 min

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