Your BIRTH Partners

Your BIRTH Partners

Identifying gaps, acknowledging biases, and co-creating a trauma-informed standard of birthcare with change agents across the spectrum of birthwork.

  1. 11/28/2022

    The Power of Culturally Congruent Care Communities #078

    In this episode we invite you to think more about what it means to create community spaces that are powered by culturally responsive care.   How do we build trust within them, and how we build trust within ourselves, as we contemplate the changes that happen in our bodies, through pregnancy and postpartum, how we connect with what we want and need.  How do we understand our feeding choices, how we think about food for our babies and ourselves? And why it is so important to tune in and be aware of cultural differences?  Why do we need more representation throughout perinatal care across the spectrum of all of the different roles within it? We need more representation, we need more folks who have different lived experiences who can offer racially and culturally congruent care who have a shared ancestral practices to uplift and support folks.  To bring all of these topics together and share their wisdom on the subject is the wonderful Shalini Shah.  Welcome to this conversation as we dive into all of this and think about how we create perineal care environments that are supportive, open, and welcoming for all. Join us as we discuss: ~Uplifting BIPOC birthworkers ~Fostering interdependence rather than individualism ~Eliminating shame in feeding journeys ~Body image & changes through pregnancy & postpartum ~Ayurveda & bringing yourself back to your body Learn more and connect with Shalini here. Support the show

    51 min
  2. 11/21/2022

    Impact of Family Policing System on Community #077

    We are diving into another heavy and intense conversation here, as we talk about the family policing system, sometimes also referred to as the child protective system.  We are confronting what it means for us, as healthcare workers, as birth workers, to be tied up in this system that is involved in family separation, and ultimately, the policing of families.  When I was thinking through all of the different angles to take throughout the season, as we figure out what it means to be in community, with each other with those we serve one of the pieces that just kept coming back to me is how disconnected our care, especially in the hospital, can be from the greater community that we prepared to serve. And I think one of the big ways that that shows up is in how we interact with folks who use drugs, with folks that have mental health disorders, with folks who in so many ways, are othered, they don't meet our kind of expectation about "textbook perfect parent."  We are thinking a lot about how that plays out in our role as mandated reporters, how we engage with these systems.  I am so grateful to have Carlyn Mast back on the podcast. Carlyn is an exceptional advocate a repeat guest on the podcast, who as a social worker, and parent advocate has a lot of information to share that it gives light to really some of what what goes on when we report folks, the family policing system, and how this impacts families, how it impacts communities, and really the role that we have within this as perinatal care professionals.  So this episode is for those of us who are not really familiar with the child protective or family policing system, how it came to be, and how it currently operates. Carlyn is going to share some of the actual steps that we can all take as we continue to interact with families so that we can show up as a community advocate with them. Join us to dive into: ~Language: Family Policing System ~History of Taking Children from their Community ~Legislation that Criminalizes Poverty ~Racial Discrimination in the System ~Abolition of Incentivizing Family Separation ~Steps to Support Families Connect more with Carlyn here. *The statements from Carlyn Mast are her sole opinion and experience, not the opinions or views of her employer. Resources: Dorothy Roberts and her book Torn Apart Joyce Macmillan April Lee Movement for Family Power upEND Movement Support the show

    57 min
  3. 10/31/2022

    Accessible Birthcare Communities #074

    In this episode we explore how we connect more deeply past the complicated power dynamics and the hierarchy in health care. How can health care providers really set themselves up to be in community with those who they care for? How do we shift the way we deliver insights and education and information to ensure that it continues to center the patient? What are some of the ways that we need to reconsider how we have been trained to share information with patients to speak to folks about the experiences that they are having in their body? How do we push back when folks want to focus on efficiency rather than connection?   Our guest today is Dr. K Pregnancy Specialist found on Instagram @DrK_PregnancySpecialist is an expert in high risk obstetrics. She has practiced as an MFM around the country, and is currently focused on how we make medical education and relationships more accessible to folks. She has so many insights to share around how we create this reality, where birthing people can truly feel that their provider is part of their community that they are available and that they are there to serve their best interests. This episode is for you, if you too are interested in how we change these current dynamics that have been set up and how we can use the power of social media to actually create more connection, rather than isolation. Join us as we uncover: ~The benefits of multidisciplinary care ~Unlearning as a physician ~Power of social media to get an "ear to the ground" ~Quality over efficiency in appointments ~Meeting folks where they are for health literacy ~And...remember: stop "meddling" in the vagina   Connect with Dr K and her work here. Support the show

    48 min
5
out of 5
10 Ratings

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Identifying gaps, acknowledging biases, and co-creating a trauma-informed standard of birthcare with change agents across the spectrum of birthwork.