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 ..read more

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.  ..read more

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.&n ..read more

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 ..read more

Like many mothers, Taylor Chamberlain Dilk had no idea where to begin in preparing for childbirth. Lucky for her she has a large social media presence and requested recommendations from her audience, and lucky for us, Down to Birth Show came highly recommended. Once she started digging in, she felt her inner maternal voice rising to the surface.  She knew she wanted an unmedicated birth, but had no idea what she was up against giving birth with an OB in the hospital. When she was offered a membrane sweep in her 41st week, she accepted, triggering uncomfortable contractions but not labor ..read more

In this episode, we welcome back Dr. Stu Fischbein for his third appearance on  Down to Birth Show. We start the conversation by catching up on some of the latest problems occurring on the birth scene including VBACs, aspirin in pregnancy, the monetization of birth, late pregnancy ultrasounds, big babies, and due dates, before we get into the meat of the episode on Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR). Dr. Stu shares a letter from one of his followers regarding her IUGR diagnosis resulting in an induction at 37 weeks for a 4-pound 14-ounce baby,  which launches into a conversation ..read more

Welcome to the February Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. To kick things off, we share some of your New Year's Resolutions--don't miss this as Trisha makes Cynthia momentarily speechless! Next, we dive into your questions beginning with: Is cord traction really necessary to birth the placenta? Another woman explains that she always throws up in labor right when her water breaks and asks if this is normal. Also, a new mother is curious if giving her baby a pacifier will be harmful or helpful...and more.  In our extended version of today's episode, we answer several more questions about th ..read more

In today's episode, Cynthia and Trisha break down some of the current guidelines published by ACOG (the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists). You'll see many of these guidelines favor physiological birth and stand for minimal medical intervention in exactly the ways we recommend, which makes it  all the more perplexing why so many of today's obstetricians don't follow along. By understanding ACOG's position on common concerns in pregnancy and birth, you can feel more empowered to advocate for what you know is best for you and your baby.  Did you know that ACOG clear ..read more

IUGR or Intrauterine Growth Restriction is the latest trend on the obstetric scene--a diagnosis that has afflicted many mothers unnecessarily. Eric, a father of two daughters,  joins us on the show today to discuss his experience with his wife's IUGR experience.  When an early ultrasound told them their baby was measuring smaller than expected, they were sent to maternal-fetal medicine and their baby was labeled as growth-restricted. As their dreams of a birth center birth quickly vanished, they started having regular ultrasounds and non-stress tests to monitor their baby. While Eric ..read more

Have you ever wondered why we actually need to get a pap smear or why the testing guidelines frequently change? The presence of HPV or the Human Papilloma Virus is associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer and is the reason behind the pap smear.  A pap smear looks at the health of the cells in our cervix and the presence of HPV. When abnormal cells are found, it is usually recommended that we have those cells removed at the risk of the functionality of our cervix. In this eye-opening conversation with Nathan Riley, MD, we learn the statistics around actually developing cervica ..read more