BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™

BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™
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Birth Like a Mammal™ is a community created for both parents and doulas. Lindsay has over a decade of professional doula experience supporting families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Combined with her B.S. in Animal Science, Lindsay is an expert on mammalian birth. Most of what is taking place in hospital L&D units is not in alignment with mammalian biology, and the complications that arise during and from giving birth can be prevented or avoided altogether by simply giving birth like a mammal.

  1. MAY 7

    Episode 23: What 10 Kids Taught This Doula About Birth - Part 1

    Tracee’s Journey from Obstetric Birth to Free Birth PART 1 In this episode of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, host Lindsay Askins sits down with Tracee Schaeffer, a former doula client, now a BLAM team member, a Mother of 10, a doula, and one of Lindsay's dearest friends. They discuss in detail Tracee's extensive and varied birthing experiences: Tracee has birthed ten babies every way possible from unmedicated hospital births, inductions, home births, and Cesareans. She shares with us her insights on how different care scenarios impacted her postpartum and Mothering experiences.  They recount stories from Tracee's pregnancies, from a traumatic hospital induction with her third child to a planned home birth that ended in an emergency Cesarean of twins. This episode highlights the importance of care providers, the mental shifts required for each new birth experience, and how Tracee navigated her journey from conventional medical practices to trusting her instincts in home births without midwives. They also touch on Tracee's inspiration to become a doula and the impact of her and LIndsay's advocacy work. This episode is a deep dive into maternal health, birthing choices, and the powerful journey of Motherhood, doula work and friendship. This recording is divided into two episodes, 23 and 24. We try to keep our episodes an hour or less in consideration of all that Mothers juggle on a daily basis! Join us next week for Part 2!  Key Takeaways: Young Mothers have the hardest time making decisions for themselves and their babies during pregnancy and labor. A Mother's postpartum experience is directly related to the care she receives during labor and birth. Birth trauma is rooted in coercion, manipulation, threats, and loss of control and autonomy. Mothers and families must take back birth into their own power and decision making - nobody is going to hand it to us. Notable Quotes from Tracee: " I've had quite the progression from going from hospital birth to having unassisted home births....having hospital medicated birth, I've had two different types of Cesareans." “The nurse told me to stop laughing because she was coming out......I literally laughed my first one out.” “Being induced will make it really easy to find someone to watch your other kids.” - male OB to Tracee“That induction was awful, was horrible....They gave me zero information [regarding cytotec].” "And that's when I told them, 'I only want to see a midwife'." "Because of the relationship we had, because she built this trust with me, and she never broke it.....when she tell me, 'abandon ship', I believe her, and I'm fine with that." Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1h 15m

  2. FEB 19

    Episode 22: Healing Through Homebirth with Aly McClain, RN, Podcast Host, and Homebirth Coach

    In this episode of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, host Lindsay Askins interviews Aly McClain, a Mother of four and an RN from Nebraska who transitioned from hospital births to home births. Aly shares her contrasting experiences of a Cesarean in a hospital followed by three peaceful home births, emphasizing the transformation and healing she found in home birthing.  Aly discusses the importance of overcoming fear, the traumatic impact of hospital protocols, and the empowerment and hormonal benefits of mammalian birth at home. Both Lindsay and Aly reflect on their own journeys and the importance of asking questions, taking personal responsibility, and opting out of obstetrics for a mammalian experience in birth. Aly shares how her background in nursing, combined with her personal experiences and a commitment to unlearning medical indoctrination, led her to advocate for home births. She also discusses the impact of birth trauma, the importance of personal responsibility, and the healing power of understanding mammalian biology. This episode is a powerful testament to resilience, the importance of the laboring space during birth, and the hope in all of us for healing and growth. Key Takeaways: The indoctrination of obstetrics in medical and nursing school is legit. Informed consent simply does not truly exist in obstetrics. No matter your experiences or education, there is always hope for healing.Mothers and families must take back birth into their own power and decision making - nobody is going to hand it to us. Notable Quotes from Aly: “They use their authority to diminish your questions.”“We would just draw up the vaccine before we even asked them if they wanted them.”“I remember they strapped my arms down, and I just disassociated because i had to. I didn’t even know where my husband was.”“On the drive home from that appointment, I told my husband 'I will NOT have another c-section again.’”"I couldn't even drive past the hospital.....how was I going to birth there?""The reason my last birth went so bad was because I didn't feel safe." Aly McClain is a dedicated advocate for empowering first-time homebirth Mothers to embrace the beauty and serenity of homebirth. Aly is the host of the Peaceful Homebirth Podcast, a Registered Nurse, and Homebirth coach, Aly combines her passion for holistic health, mindset techniques, and practical wisdom to guide expectant Mothers through every step of their journey to a peaceful and empowering birth experience. Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1h 22m

  3. 11/05/2024

    Episode 21: Birth Affects Us All with Bill Nation

    In episode 21 of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, host Lindsay engages in a deep and personal conversation with her former elementary school teacher, Bill Nation, now a licensed professional counselor in Texas.  Bill is 70 years old, has never witnessed a woman give birth, and is certainly not the target audience for this community. But after listening to episode 13 with Audrey Ross of @ajoyfulbirth, Bill realized his own birth was nothing like Lindsay and Audrey describe when sharing their own birth stories for him, or his Mother. And that hit him hard. In this heartfelt episode, Lindsay and Bill discuss their shared past and Bill's evolving understanding of birth trauma after listening to the podcast. Bill reflects on his family’s historical attitudes toward pregnancy and birth, highlighting the contrast between mammalian and medicalized birth, as well as the societal expectations around Motherhood. Through these discussions, the episode underscores the deep emotional connections influenced by birth, and how important an awareness and understanding of birth trauma is for all of us. This is an episode you do not want to skip. This is also an episode that you want to share with all of the men in your life. This is the episode you may want to share with your own parents. This is the episode that truly illustrates how deeply significant giving birth in alignment with our mammalian biology really is, and it affects ALL of us no matter what. Key Takeaways: Birth deeply affects all of us regardless of our gender or family status.Birth has a profound and direct affect on how women Mother their children. The disruption of mammalian imprinting has life-long effects.Until we hear birth stories of triumph and joy, we believe our culture's narrative about birth: dangerous and scary. Notable Quotes from Bill: “I cannot tell you how many things came to me listening to you and Audrey tell your birth stories. The most difficult thing to handle is the realization that the birth experience for me and Mom was so unlike what you two described. Coming to grips with how we missed out on SOOOO much that could never be replaced is overwhelming for me.”"It makes me angry to know my mom, and most moms, I know have gone through this shit.”“Imagine what the world would be like if we all had been birthed like mammals and our parents had been as well. It would be a completely different world."Bill Nation is a licensed counselor, a native Texan, and Lindsay's 6th grade Science teacher! He's known for his quirky sense of humor, appreciation of the absurd, and his research about his uncle, killed in WW2, for whom he was named. He lives in Texas with his wife, Maggie. Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    57 min

  4. 10/16/2024

    Episode 20: Dads and Doulas and Birth with Keturah Pawlik

    In episode 20 of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay sits down with Keturah Pawlik. Keturah is a doula and Mother of six. Originally from New York, she now lives in West Palm Beach with her family. Keturah believes in the power of storytelling and in sharing our wisdoms with others, offering a new perspective or lending our strength when it’s needed most. In this episode, Keturah and Lindsay dive deep into the crucial support systems for both Mothers and Fathers during pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period, highlighting the often-neglected emotional needs and hormonal changes experienced by Fathers. Keturah shares her six birthing experiences, emphasizing the importance of Mothers feeling supported by their partners and how we can help Fathers to do so. She makes the point that many marital/relationship issues that come up years after birth can usually be traced back to a baby's birth. The episode concludes with actionable advice and resources. Both Lindsay and Keturah have created resources and workshops tailored for dads, such as Lindsay's Dad Doula class, to equip them better for becoming a Father and foster a healthy family dynamic. Keturah offers a workshop for dads in Florida, promoting a collaborative and supportive approach to preparing for a new baby. Key Points: Fathers carry birth trauma too, and are often not asked to talk about it. A healthy Father bodes a healthy Mother. A societal shift is needed to support men entering Fatherhood.The environment where birth takes places directly affects birth.  Notable Quotes: “While pregnancy and the postpartum period should really be the safest time in a woman’s life, for many women here, it could be the most dangerous time they’ll ever go through if they don't have a partner who is on board, and who is whole.” - Keturah“Men need a doula just as much as women do.” - Keturah“A peaceful calm birth, you get a peaceful individual and it completely rewires how you approach your whole life.” - Keturah“Hospital birth is like going to McDonald’s and trying to have a fine dining experience.” - Keturah“The more tools you give dads, the more confident they are.” - Lindsay Where to find Keturah: Winging it with Ket Instagram Email: Wingingitwithket@gmail.com SHOW MENTIONS: Lindsay on Keturah's Podcast Episode Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1h 9m

  5. 09/22/2024

    Episode 19: The Power of Birth Stories with Diana Forsell

    In episode 19 of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay interviews Diana Forsell. Diana is a Mother to two boys, with two very different birth stories. She is the host of the Healing Birth podcast where she shares an incredible variety of birth stories from women all over the world. Diana brings an unshakeable trust in our biology and our bodies to her podcast episodes as she believes that birth is designed to work, especially when you leave it alone. In this episode, Diana and Lindsay discuss what happens to women when we go from maiden to Mother in an undisturbed, mammalian passage of giving birth. They both share the same sentiments in the confidence that giving birth like a mammal gave them to then Mother their babies with confidence. Diana also shares how traumatic her first baby’s Cesarean birth was after her trusted midwife suggested she transfer to the hospital, and how her healing came during her second baby’s pregnancy. His home birth was redeeming to both her and her sons. Key Points: Birth is deeply significant and affects us for the rest of our lives.Who you choose as your care provider can make or break your baby's birth.Birth directly affects Motherhood. Why it is important to share our birth stories. Notable Quotes from Diana: “When we emerge from birth, feeling stripped of our power, feeling incapable, feeling like we didn't have agency, feeling like someone else did it to us or someone else managed our birth, that can carry into early motherhood as well, and affects so much.”“My approach to healing initially was just to pretend like the whole thing never happened and not talk about it, and cry when my other friends had natural births after that, and feel totally broken. I was just in my pain.”“It is my belief that that is the initiatory gift that all of us should receive when we're giving birth. I have come to look at birth as really a ceremony. I've come to look at pregnancy as a spiritual journey that's calling us to grow in certain ways and to trust ourselves on a very deep level.  And birth is the ceremony that's the culmination of this spiritual journey." Where to find Diana: The Healing Birth podcast - on all streaming services Website Instagram Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1 hr

  6. 09/06/2024

    Episdoe 18: Intentional Embodiment with Jessica Olson, Pregnancy and Birth Coach

    In episode 18 of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay sits down with Jessica Olson of Wildly Awakened Motherhood. Jessica is an embodied birth coach, focused on supporting women find healing and safety within their bodies, and home, before birth. She is a yoga practitioner, intuitive nutritionist, radical birth keeper graduate, and training in herbalism. Jessica's approach to pregnancy, birth, and Motherhood is built on intuition, intention, and embodiment. She shares her own journey in discovering the aforementioned things after obstetrics derailed her first baby's birth. Jessica's insight in this conversation is deeply intellectual and intuitive. Starting about 40 minutes into this episode, get rid of all distractions and stop what you are doing and really listen to Jessica's words. She dives deep into how our body stores and holds trauma, and how that affects us in life and birth. She makes some incredible connections between energy works and how we approach birth. Key Takeaways: 1. The awareness we hold regarding our own body's knowledge and capabilities during pregnancy and birth will vastly affect our baby's birth. 2. The prevalence of "hero-ing" care providers in the system of obstetrics and how that affects women during labor and birth. 3. The Drama Triangle - what it is and how it works. 4. The labels we place on ourselves as women and Mothers. 5. What disassociation is and why we do it - how this applies to labor, birth, and Motherhood. Notable Quotes: “If you are an anxious person, if you are at home, and in your mind you are worrying about all the things that can go wrong, it’s going to derail your birth.” “It’s only been in the last few hundred years that this idea of birth being "dirty" or "dangerous" has really been used to bring women into hospitals, it’s really been such a coercive system.” “The idea that we need all these men to "hero" women....'you can’t do it by yourself, we are going to put you down with gas and pull your baby out'...it’s crazy to me.” “The way our body experiences trauma isn’t just in the mind, our body holds it within our energetic system, within our fascia.” “One of the parallel ideas is how we always try to escape the pain of birth rather than embracing the process of birth and where that pain is blocking you. We often try to escape our bodies where we feel uncomfortable.” Follow and connect with Jessica: Instagram YouTube Website Podcas Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1h 1m

  7. 08/22/2024

    Episode 17: The Body Keeps the Score with Joanna Cook, LMSW

    In episode 17 of The Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay welcomes Joanna Cook, a Texas-based therapist and Mother, to discuss the profound impact of therapy on women struggling with birth trauma. Joanna shares her journey from experiencing a traumatic birth to becoming a therapist specializing in nervous system regulation, somatic embodiment, and parts integration. She provides insight into her unique therapeutic approach that emphasizes safety and gentle reconnection and makes the significant point that no matter how deep your trauma is, there is always hope for healing. Lindsay and Joanna also discuss the societal pressures and disconnections that contribute to trauma and stress the importance of personal empowerment in the healing process. This episode offers hope and guidance for those dealing with birth trauma and explores the upcoming birth trauma retreat in Texas. Key Takeaways: 1. There is always hope for healing. 2. Our bodies physically store our trauma. 3. The nervous system is an integral part of healing from trauma. 4. Most mainstream therapists do not holistically understand trauma and often re-traumatize women seeking support. Notable Quotes from Joanna "No matter how deep your trauma is, if you're breathing, you have hope for healing. If you're alive, there's hope to heal.""Our systems are incredibly wise, intelligent, resourceful...""That was a really big moment for me to understand....I always have options. I can do what's best for my baby, and I can do what's best for me. This episode's title is inspired by the book The Body Keeps the Score, a fantastic book explaining how emotional trauma affects our bodies physically. If you don't already own it, ​grab your copy now​. Joanna Cook is a therapist and life coach focusing on nervous system regulation, somatic reconnection, and trauma integration. After going through her own traumatic birth experience, she experienced severe disconnection and dysregulation. Once she learned about the nervous system and began the healing process, she experienced the spark and joy of reconnection and hasn't looked back. It is her joy to help guide others back to their power and innate healing capacities.   Connect with Joanna: ​Facebook​ | ​Instagram​ | ​Substack​ | ​Website​ | ​Email​  Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    48 min

  8. 07/16/2024

    Episode 16: Birth Trauma Affects Everyone with Carla Sargent, Healer and Educator

    On this 16th episode of the Birth Like a Mammal™ podcast, Lindsay is joined by Carla Sargent, a former midwife now birth trauma healer and educator. Carla is a true GEM in the birth trauma healing world. Her experience as a midwife and many years supporting Mothers healing from birth trauma bring an incredible dialogue to this discussion today. Carla hosted Lindsay on her podcast, Healing Birth with Carla, last November where she and Lindsay chatted about Lindsay's doula work, her advocacy work with Exposing the Silence Project, and how women can best set themselves up for a birth they need and want. You can find Carla's podcast on all major podcast streaming networks - Lindsay's episode is #49! Today, Carla and Lindsay talk about how often birth trauma occurs, what are the factors that typically contribute to birth trauma, the common signs and symptoms of birth trauma in postpartum Mothers, and how birth trauma affects Fathers....a topic not often brought up but a very important component of this conversation. Key Takeaways: birth trauma is vastly under-reportedbirth trauma deeply affects Fathers toobirth trauma is directly correlated to obstetric violencehow to know if you have birth traumaperinatal mood disorders are a consequence of birth trauma from obstetric violence Notable Quotes: "We have this groomed compliance that we grow up with that serves the system so that we don’t question when we are told we need to have this intervention and that intervention in order to keep our babies safe." - Carla"Choosing who is in your birth space - whether it's your support team or your care provider - and where you give birth are the two most important decisions you will ever make during your pregnancy. Those are the two things that will make or break your baby’s birth." - Lindsay"Usually their [the Dads] trauma comes from feeling helpless." - Lindsay"Your traumatic experiences of birth were not your fault. It was not that your body was faulty, it was not that you weren’t “something enough”, not strong enough, not advocating enough…. it was none of that." - Carla Carla Sargent is a home birthing mother of three, an ex midwife, an educator, an author, a podcast host, and the founder (in 2015) of her birth trauma support and education business, Healing Birth. Through her holistic and unique Healing Birth work, Carla has helped hundreds of families to find healing after a traumatic birth, and to prepare for a positive and empowering next birth. Where to find Carla and her work: Facebook | Support the show Questions? Looking for further support during pregnancy? Birth Like a Mammal™ offers coaching, classes, and a birth prep workbook to help you prepare for a truly mammalian birth. Humans are mammals and we are designed to birth like mammals. Find us on: Website Instagram TikTok Music Credit: Snow Path by Vlad Gluschenko | https://soundcloud.com/vgl9 Creative Commons / Attribution 3.0 Unported License (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en_US Edited by: Stefanie Wenninger | Pine Peak Productions

    1h 12m
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About

Birth Like a Mammal™ is a community created for both parents and doulas. Lindsay has over a decade of professional doula experience supporting families during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Combined with her B.S. in Animal Science, Lindsay is an expert on mammalian birth. Most of what is taking place in hospital L&D units is not in alignment with mammalian biology, and the complications that arise during and from giving birth can be prevented or avoided altogether by simply giving birth like a mammal.

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  • Creator
    BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™
  • Show Website
    BIRTH LIKE A MAMMAL™