The EngagED Midwife

Cara Busenhart and Missi Stec
  • 5.0 (28)
  • EDUCATION
  • UPDATED SEMIMONTHLY

Empowered, knowledgeable, and engaging. Cara and Missi provide insightful, relevant conversations on midwifery topics that will enhance student knowledge and improve confidence for certification. Featuring current research and evidence based practice guidelines, the EngagED midwife podcast hopes to engage practicing midwives to enhance their robust knowledge base and elevate their clinical practice.

  1. FEB 22

    From Vernix To Vitals: What Modern Newborn Care Gets Right

    Send a text Day-one decisions shape a newborn’s first week, and small changes can prevent big problems. In this episode, Cara and Missi dig into what’s truly evidence-based now—delayed bathing to protect vernix and temperature, uninterrupted skin-to-skin to reduce energy burn, and clear thresholds for when to check and treat low blood sugar. Along the way, we unpack how updated NRP guidance simplifies early care: extend cord clamping to at least 60 seconds when possible, start term babies on room air, broaden ventilation rates to 30–60 per minute, and skip routine suctioning unless the airway needs clearing. Less fuss means warmer babies, steadier vitals, and fewer glucose crashes. Cara and Missi clear the fog around GBS prophylaxis. Penicillin remains the standard, with cefazolin for low-risk penicillin allergy and vancomycin when high-risk reactions are present or clindamycin sensitivity isn’t confirmed. That clarity matters for maternal safety and newborn outcomes, especially in units where ampicillin lingers from past shortages. If your patients report a penicillin allergy early in pregnancy, consider formal evaluation to avoid unnecessary second-line antibiotics later. Finally, we connect physiology to practice. Newborns lose the maternal glucose “buffet” at birth and lean on glycogen and brown fat to bridge the gap; cold stress accelerates that burn, making hypothermia and hypoglycemia frequent partners. We outline who needs screening—IDMs, SGA, LGA, late preterm, and resuscitated infants—and how to manage lows with a calm, stepwise approach: warm the baby, feed early and often, use donor milk or glucose gel when indicated, and escalate to IV dextrose for symptomatic cases. It’s a practical, exam-friendly, and family-centered guide to safer newborn care. #Baby #Newborn #BabyBabyAreYouOkay #Resuscitation #EatingAtThePlacentaBuffet #BloodSugar #NRP #SkinToSkin #GBSProphylaxis

    40 min

  2. FEB 8

    From Bed Rest To Breast Cancer: How To Show Up For Someone You Love

    Send a text The ocean isn’t magic, but it helps the healing. We went to the beach with a full slate of work—course updates, new cases, retreat planning—and a fuller heart, talking honestly about what it takes to recover and what it means to care well. Missi is four weeks post‑mastectomy, relearning daily life without lifting, reaching, or rushing. Cara remembers months on bed rest, the longing for a hair wash, and the quiet panic of being still. Together, we map the gap between “Let me know if you need anything” and help that actually helps. We get specific. Meals that work now: soup kits, coordinated signups, gift cards for flexible nights, and a simple text that asks, “What are you craving?” Practical gear that makes life easier soft button-front pajamas, the best mid-calf socks, body butter, pillows, and just things to make you comfy. We talk about partners who carry silent fear, why giving those people a break matters, and how to name needs without feeling guilt. We share how to build an Amazon list so friends far away can send the right things, and why short notes and small jokes land in the loneliest hours. There’s identity work too. Losing the “before” version of yourself—the runner, the teacher, the do‑it‑all person—hurts. We name the grief, celebrate tiny wins like sleeping in a bed again, and lean on survivors who text the latest guidelines at just the right time. No Googling spirals, just trusted teams and steady pacing. If you’ve ever asked, “What should I do for my friend who’s sick?” or struggled to ask for help yourself, this conversation hands you a clear, compassionate checklist you can use today. #DeliverEDExamPrep #RelaxED #YouveGotAFriendInMe #RecoveryJourney #BreastCancer #Bedrest #WeBelongToEachOther #LoveWins #WeCanDoHardThings #Survivor #Brutiful @somaintimates @ugg @lululemon @lolablankets @takethemameal @giveinkind

    46 min

  3. JAN 25

    Catching The Midwife Dream Job

    Send a text Ready to land a midwifery job that actually fits your philosophy, pace, and life? We open up about our own first-job journeys—what went right, what we’d change, and how each step shaped our expectations. From researching practice models to reading culture, we walk through the practical prep that matters most: knowing how the team truly functions, how midwives share call, and how collaboration shows up when the unit gets busy. We also get tactical about interviewing without sounding scripted. You’ll hear simple ways to show your value as a new grad, even without L&D experience: bring a lean portfolio, summarize your clinical sites and numbers, and frame weaknesses as active growth plans. We share the questions that reveal the soul of a practice—what a clinic day really looks like, how decisions are made, and where midwives can train in procedures like first assist, colpos, or circumcisions. We also address the productivity myth, explaining how OB-heavy roles unlock revenue capacity across the team while improving access and experience. Career seasons don’t always unfold on your timeline, and that’s okay. We talk about handling rejection as redirection, running mock interviews with mentors, and keeping notes on what bothers you so you can ask sharper questions next time. If you want a job that respects physiologic birth and evidence, values your voice, and gives you room to grow, this conversation will help you get there. #DreamCatch #BabyCatchers #MidwifeLife #NewGradMidwife #MidwivesSupportMidwives #MidwiferyCareers @growmidwives

    1h 8m

  4. JAN 11

    Busy Breasts, Busy Births, And Why Your Peanut Ball Deserves A Raise

    Send a text A new season meets a new reality: we’re grateful for 100K downloads, proud of students who crossed the finish line after multiple tries, and honest about a recent breast cancer diagnosis that changed the rhythm of our days. Missi walks through the surprise pathology, why we chose an aggressive plan, and what bilateral mastectomy and a forced season of stillness look like for a do‑everything human. We talk openly about anxiety, support, and “aggressive optimism,” because clarity and community make uncertain roads feel possible. Then we shift gears to a masterclass on the labor patterns every clinician grapples with: malposition and asynclitism. We break down synclitism versus anterior and posterior asynclitism, how to read the sagittal suture and fontanelles, and why uneven effacement is a blazing clue. You’ll hear practical tools for OP and OT that move beyond clichés—mapping interventions to the inlet, mid‑pelvis, and outlet so each position serves a purpose. Think the jiggle as gentle myofascial work, forward‑leaning inversion to free tension, and strict sidelying release with stacked hips. We show how peanut balls, fire‑hydrant, rock‑the‑boat, sacral massage, and internal femur rotation widen the right spaces at the right time. For second stage, we dig into manual rotation: when to attempt it, how to disengage enough to succeed, and how skilled hands can shorten labor and prevent operative delivery. Along the way we highlight nurse‑midwife teamwork, patient‑centered pacing, and trusted resources like Spinning Babies and the Labor Progress Handbook that give units a shared language and a sharper plan. Variation in fetal position isn’t failure—it’s an invitation to find the position, create the space, and encourage the movement. If this conversation helps your practice or your spirit, follow, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review. Your support fuels more teaching, more tools at the bedside, and more stories of perseverance and healing.

    54 min

  5. 12/14/2025

    Speculums Are Scary, Guidelines Aren’t: Teen Gyn Without The Drama

    Send a text A packed hallway at the ACNM Annual Meeting turned into the perfect backdrop for a clear, compassionate deep dive on adolescent gynecology. We talk candidly about what really helps teens feel safe in care: transparent consent, real confidentiality, and avoiding unnecessary pelvic exams. From there, we walk through the high-yield topics every clinician faces with young patients—irregular cycles after menarche, painful periods that derail school days, and the difference between normal discharge and vaginitis that needs treatment. We spotlight the red flags that can’t be missed, especially ovarian torsion posing as vague lower abdominal pain, and why transabdominal ultrasound often beats transvaginal imaging for adolescents. You’ll hear how we build a thorough menstrual history that captures timing, flow, and impact on daily life; how we normalize the maturing hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis; and where first-line therapies like NSAIDs, combined pills, progestin-only methods, and levonorgestrel IUDs fit. We also lay out a patient-led approach to contraception counseling—centered on goals like bleeding control, privacy, and ease of use—while weaving in emergency contraception, STI screening strategies, and the crucial role of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical and other cancers. Throughout, we keep the focus on trauma-informed practice. That means offering safe words like stop and out during exams, letting teens handle instruments to reduce fear, and moving complex conversations to when patients are fully dressed. We include considerations for transgender and gender-diverse adolescents, from menstrual suppression to reputable clinical resources. By combining practical tools with a respectful tone, this episode gives you a roadmap to adolescent gyn that improves comfort, detects danger early, and builds trust that lasts into adulthood. If this conversation helps you care for teens with more confidence, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a quick review to help others find the show.

    44 min

  6. 11/30/2025

    Osteoporosis Unmasked: Midwives on Screening, Risk, and Real Prevention

    Send a text A fracture rarely starts with drama. It’s often a quiet misstep, a stumble off a curb, or a slip on a throw rug—and that’s exactly why bone health deserves our full attention. We’re taking a clear, practical tour through osteoporosis and osteopenia: what they are, why they’re “silent,” and how to get ahead of them with smart screening, daily habits, and targeted treatments. We unpack the biology of bone remodeling—osteoclasts that break down old bone and osteoblasts that build new—and the outsized role estrogen plays as it declines through perimenopause and menopause. You’ll hear exactly who should get a DEXA scan at 65 and who needs it earlier based on risk factors like prior adult fractures, long-term steroid use, low body weight, family history, or conditions like hyperthyroidism, celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. We demystify T-scores versus Z-scores so you can read your results with confidence and know where osteopenia ends and osteoporosis begins. From there, we get tactical. Nutrition that actually moves the needle, weight-bearing exercise and resistance training you’ll actually do, and when medication is actually warranted.  We round it out with fall prevention you can implement today: balance training, better lighting, grab bars, safer footwear, and a clutter-free path through your home. If you care about staying strong, steady, and independent, this conversation gives you the tools.

    42 min

  7. 11/16/2025

    From Pen to Practice: Navigating the World of Midwifery Publishing

    Send a text Ever wonder how midwifery knowledge makes its way from practice to publication? This episode pulls back the curtain on the world of midwifery publishing with two luminaries who shape how we learn and share our profession's wisdom. We're joined by Dr. Melissa Avery, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health, and Dr. Julia Philippi, lead author of the foundational text Varney's Midwifery. These publishing powerhouses share their journeys and offer practical advice for midwives at every career stage who want to contribute to our collective knowledge. "Your work doesn't do you," Dr. Avery reminds us. "Until we write about it and disseminate it, no one else is really benefiting from it." Both guests demystify the publishing process, from crafting that intimidating first draft to navigating peer review. Their message is refreshingly straightforward: just start writing. Whether you're considering a clinical case study for JMWH or wondering how textbooks like Varney's evolve to reflect contemporary practice, this conversation provides the roadmap you need. We explore the differences between journal articles and textbooks, the value of becoming a peer reviewer, and practical strategies like forming writing teams and protecting your writing time. For students and educators, Dr. Philippi offers fascinating insights into how midwifery texts might evolve to meet changing learning styles, potentially moving beyond the "eight-pound two-ounce textbook" to more interactive formats. Whether you're a student, new graduate, or seasoned midwife, this episode will inspire you to share your unique midwifery knowledge and experiences. Your voice matters—and with the right approach, it can strengthen midwifery care everywhere. #EveryMidwifeHasAStory #AcademicMidwife #GetPublished #MidwivesWhoWrite #TheScholarlyMidwife #TeamworkMakesTheDreamWork @jblearning @midwiferyandwomenshealth @juliaphillippi

    55 min

  8. 11/02/2025

    Our Favorite Things: Gifts, Gear, and Self-care We Swear By

    Send a text The ACNM hallways are still buzzing in our heads, our voices are scratchy from a thousand hugs, and we’re curled up with a year’s worth of holy-grail favorites to share. This is our practical, joyful guide to small upgrades that make real days better. If you’re looking for thoughtful gifts, travel allies, or daily comforts that punch above their weight, this roundup is our best-of—the things we buy again, gift often, and swear by. If something here makes your day easier or your night softer, share this episode, leave a review, and tell us your favorite under-the-radar find so we can try it next.

    1h 4m
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About

Empowered, knowledgeable, and engaging. Cara and Missi provide insightful, relevant conversations on midwifery topics that will enhance student knowledge and improve confidence for certification. Featuring current research and evidence based practice guidelines, the EngagED midwife podcast hopes to engage practicing midwives to enhance their robust knowledge base and elevate their clinical practice.

Information

  • Creator
    Cara Busenhart and Missi Stec
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The EngagED Midwife
  • Show Website
    The EngagED Midwife

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