The Birth Squad

Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Welcome to The Birth Squad — where birth meets real talk. Hosted by best friends and OB/GYNs Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas, this podcast dives into real stories and raw conversations about pregnancy, birth, and reproductive health. Twice a month, we share powerful interviews and insights that center around Black voices and lived experiences. 🎧 Tune in every other Sunday. 📱 Follow us on Instagram: @thebirthsquad | Twitter: @_thebirthsquad 💬 Join the conversation with #thebirthsquad & #thebirthsquadpodcast

  1. Aug 16

    Why Are Black Women Still Dying in Childbirth? S4 Ep 8

    Black women in the United States are still significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes — and this disparity is not explained by education, income, or genetics. So what is actually driving it? In this season finale, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello have the honest conversation that too many people are still afraid to have:- Why Black women enter pregnancy carrying both excitement and fear at the same time. - Why maternal morbidity and mortality often starts quietly — with a headache, swelling, or fatigue that feels different - How bias in healthcare shows up subtly and why small moments of dismissal can become dangerous fast - Why Black women second guess themselves before speaking up and how that delay can become deadly- The postpartum warning signs that should never be ignored — preeclampsia, blood clots, cardiomyopathy, infection and more - How support systems including doulas, partners, and community can help identify complications earlier - Why postpartum is one of the most medically vulnerable times, and what needs to changeThis is not just a statistic. These are real women. Real families. Real stories.And when women are heard earlier, supported better, and taken seriously the first time — outcomes improve. That is the standard every patient deserves. 📲 Follow us for more:Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #MaternalMortality #BlackMothers #PostpartumHealth #BlackWomensHealth #KnowYourRights #HospitalBirth #Preeclampsia #BirthAdvocacy

  2. Aug 2

    Why So Many Women Feel Lost After Giving Birth | S4 Ep7

    Everyone prepares for the birth. Almost nobody prepares for what comes after. In this episode, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello break down what the postpartum period actually looks like and why so many women are left feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and unprepared the moment they get home: Why postpartum recovery takes far longer than anyone tells youThe physical realities of healing after vaginal delivery and C-sectionHow hormone shifts and sleep deprivation make everything feel heavierWhy your identity, relationships, and sense of self all shift at onceThe pressure to "bounce back" and why it's completely unrealisticThe "Want, Need, Help" system for building real postpartum supportWhen to pay attention to your mental health and ask for help earlyBecause postpartum is not just physical recovery. It's a full life transition — physically, mentally, emotionally, and relationally. And it was never meant to be survived alone. 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts — link below. 📲 Follow us for more: Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #PostpartumRecovery #BlackMaternalHealth #PostpartumMentalHealth #BlackMothers

  3. Jul 19

    What Doctors Wish More Women Knew About Birth Trauma | S4 Ep 6

    "Your baby is healthy. That's all that matters." — But what happens when the birth itself feels traumatic, even when the outcome is good? In this episode, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello break down: Why birth trauma is defined by how the experience felt — not just the medical outcomeHow loss of control and lack of communication during emergencies can lead to traumaWhy a healthy baby does not erase a traumatic birth experienceThe real disparities in who feels heard, believed, and supported during labor — especially for Black womenWhat birth trauma can look like postpartum and why it's often left unaddressedHow to ask for a birth debrief and the questions that help your mind process what happenedWhen to seek mental health support and what signs to pay attention toBecause two things can be true at the same time. Your baby can be healthy and your birth can still have been traumatic. Your experience matters. Your feelings matter. And you deserve support while processing both. 🎧 Listen now — link below. 📲 Follow us for more: Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #BirthTrauma #PostpartumMentalHealth #BlackMothers #HospitalBirth #MaternalMentalHealth #BlackWomensHealth #BirthExperience #LaborAndDelivery

  4. Jul 5

    Do You Still Need an Doula if you want an Epidural? | S4 Ep5

    You've decided on an epidural — so do you really still need a doula? Two Black OB-GYNs are answering this question once and for all. In this episode, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello break down: Why an epidural treats pain but does not replace supportWhat doulas actually do in the labor room beyond pain managementWhy your need for support doesn't stop once the contractions doHow doulas support your partner and help them stay calm and involvedWhy your doula is the only person in that room whose full attention is on youWhat the research says about continuous labor support and better birth outcomesHow the best labor rooms are collaborative — doula, nurse, and provider working togetherBecause labor is bigger than contractions. It's communication, decision making, and emotional presence. And those needs don't disappear just because the pain does. 📲 Follow us for more: Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #DoulaSupport #HospitalBirth #BlackMothers #EpiduralBirth #LaborAndDelivery #BlackWomensHealth #ContinuousLaborSupport #Doula

  5. Jun 21

    The Art of Declining Interventions Without Burning Bridges | S4 Ep4

    You're in labor and your provider recommends something you weren't expecting — and you don't know how to push back without seeming difficult or putting your baby at risk. In this episode, two Black OB-GYNs break down: Why interventions get recommended and what's really happening in that momentHow to slow down the room and ask questions without creating tensionThe BRAIN tool — the 5-question framework every pregnant woman needs to knowHow to advocate for yourself without saying noThe difference between real urgency and perceived pressureWhat your care team owes you even when time is limitedBecause asking questions is not the same as refusing care. And when you understand your options — you stop feeling powerless. 📲 Follow us for more:Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #BirthAdvocacy #HospitalBirth #PatientRights #BRAINTool #LaborAndDelivery #BlackMothers #BlackWomensHealth #KnowYourRights

  6. Jun 7

    The Truth About Birth Plans Nobody Warns You About | S4 Ep3

    S4 Ep3: The Truth About Birth Plans Nobody Warns You About | The Birth Squad Podcast You spent hours on your birth plan — but what actually happens when labor moves fast and decisions have to be made in real time? In this episode, two Black OB-GYNs break down: Why your birth plan doesn't always get followed line by lineWhat providers are actually focused on when things shift quicklyThe difference between a birth plan and a birth preferenceWhat to include so your voice is still heard even when things changeWhy flexibility isn't giving up your power — it's protecting itHow a doula can bridge the gap between your plan and your care teamBecause the goal was never to control every moment. It's to make sure what matters to you is understood — no matter what happens in that room. 🎧 Listen now — link below. 📲 Follow us for more:Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤 #TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #BirthPlan #HospitalBirth #BlackMothers #BirthPreferences #KnowYourRights #LaborAndDelivery #BlackWomensHealth #MaternalHealth

  7. May 24

    The Labor Room Gatekeeping Nobody Warns Women About | S4 Ep2

    You're contracting. It's real. It's painful. You go to the hospital — and they send you home. Hours later, you're back. Exhausted. Further along than they thought. So what actually happened? In this episode, Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas break down one of the most common — and most misunderstood — experiences in labor: being sent home from triage when your body says otherwise. What you'll learn:→ How hospitals actually decide when to admit you — and what "active labor" really means→ Why early labor can last hours or days and still not meet admission criteria→ Why being sent home doesn't mean you're not in labor→ Who has the power to make that call — and how much it depends on who's in the room→ The exact questions to ask before you leave triage

  8. May 10

    The Birth Room Power Struggle: When a C-Section Changes Everything | S4 Ep1

    🎙️ Season 4 is HERE — and we're kicking it off with the conversation every Black woman deserves to have before she ever steps foot in that delivery room.S4E1 — The Birth Room Power Struggle: When a C-Section Changes Everything.Hosted by Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas — two Black OB-GYNs with over 20 years of combined experience — pulling back the curtain on what's really happening behind the scenes when labor shifts fast.In this episode:🩺 Why your doula might be turned away from the OR🩺 Who actually has the power in that delivery room🩺 What hospitals don't tell you before a C-section🩺 How to protect yourself and your birth support before labor startsThis is not just a podcast. This is your blueprint.—📲 Stay connected with The Birth Squad:📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebirthsquad/🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebirthsquad—#TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #Season4 #HospitalBirth #BirthRights

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Birth Squad — where birth meets real talk. Hosted by best friends and OB/GYNs Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas, this podcast dives into real stories and raw conversations about pregnancy, birth, and reproductive health. Twice a month, we share powerful interviews and insights that center around Black voices and lived experiences. 🎧 Tune in every other Sunday. 📱 Follow us on Instagram: @thebirthsquad | Twitter: @_thebirthsquad 💬 Join the conversation with #thebirthsquad & #thebirthsquadpodcast

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    54
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas
  • Show Website
    The Birth Squad

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