Good Birth Podcast
This podcast is a combination of news and stories from maternal health leaders, midwives and other birth workers, and activists.
Listen to inspiring people discuss the world of birth in their communities and the surprising ways people are working to make maternal and newborn health safer and more accessible for families, babies and the people who love them.
Podcast Episodes
Everyone deserves a Good Birth.
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This podcast is a combination of news and stories from maternal health leaders, midwives and other birth workers, and activists. Listen to inspiring people discuss the world of birth in their communities and the surprising ways people are working to make maternal and newborn health safer and more accessible for families, babies and the people who love them.
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In Part One of this community based podcast, Lakisa Muhammad and Michelle Ponce join the podcast to talk about their experience in the United Birthworkers of Color, AZ, a prototype envisioning resilient partnerships for the reproductive health of their communities.
Under the direction of The New School and Social Movements + Innovations, three Arizona-based organizations came together as part of a cohort of prototyping labs working on re-imagining sustainable leadership and organization while testing disruptive and creative ways to challenge white dominant culture. Lakisa and Michelle are the co-founders of Arizona Birthworkers of Color.
"Arizona Birthworkers of Color (AZBOC), founded in 2016, is a collective group of people of color who offer services that support families before, during, and after childbirth. We are also advocates, stakeholders, business owners, and leaders within the field of birthwork locally and nationally. The overreaching intention of AZBOC is to uplift , support, and create space for connection among Birthworkers of Color in Arizona.
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Indra Lusero discusses resources inspired by their work with countless pregnant women, doulas, and other folks offering support to birthing people who had either experienced or witnessed violations during childbirth.
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Cris Alonso agreed to come on to update us on COVID-19 specific to midwifery and midwifery centers with her unique global perspective.
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Motherboard Birth provides evidence-based information to birthing families, helps them make decisions and build a visual birth "plan," aka a "Motherboard," and helps them to communicate their wishes with their provider and birth team.
This podcast explores the journey of creating tech for birthworkers and is full of tips and ideas for anyone interested in pursuing a tech solution for better birth options.
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A fascinating life and book discussion with Michael C. Klein, Family Physician, Pediatrician, Neonatologist, Maternity Care Researcher, and author about his book "Dissident Doctor".
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An interview with Amy Wright Glenn from the Institute of Birth, Breath and Death on what it mans to hold space in a way that makes room for imperfection on all sides, and to reflect on what it means to hold space for deep pain (like pregnancy/infant loss) and show up as loving, honest, real and imperfect people.
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Tewa Women United is a multicultural and multiracial organization that was founded and is led by Native women. The name “Tewa Women United” comes from the Tewa words 'wi don gi mu' which can be translated as “we are one” in mind, heart, and in the spirit of love for all.
They have four main programs:
Environmental Health and Justice
V.O.I.C.E.S. - Valuing Our Integrity with Courage Empowerment and Support
Indigenous Women’s Health and Reproductive Justice - includes Yiya Vi Kagingdi Community Doula Project
Women’s Leadership and Economic Freedom - includes A’Gin Body Sovereignty and Healthy Sexuality Project
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Gina Dacosta Rivera, midwife and founder of Grow Pregnancy and Parenting Center, the first perinatal wellness center on the island, talks about the richness and complexities of being a midwife in Puerto Rico.
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Tina Sherman discusses the Family Leave Act, FMLA, MomsRising and speaks about breastfeeding campaigns around the country.
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Lena offers her unique perspectives on Title X in this second pod of the series. Her work as a midwife is grounded in the reproductive justice framework developed by Sistersong, and informed by research on trauma-informed care, interpersonal neurobiology, and Mindfulness-Based Childbirth and Parenting
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Amy discusses the routes to successful Medicaid and private insurance reimbursement for doulas in California, as well as a survey being done in coordination with many researchers, advocates, national leaders and doulas. It is possible that she may, or may not, talk about Star Trek. We hope you will join us in this news podcast about networking in ways that will enable everyone to access birth advocates!
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Indra discusses the shutting down of essential midwifery practices in Colorado, the state of midwifery in Colorado, finding joy and passion in work, and the incredible growth and direction of the Birth Rights Bar Association. Plenty of shout outs, a guest co-host, and fun in this news podcast.
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International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) has connected with the majority of its 143 midwives’ associations in all regions of the world and accounts from the midwives working on the front lines during this pandemic are harrowing, unveiling an increase in gender discrimination, domestic violence, human rights abuses, the over-medicalization of birth and fear and misinformation, all culminating in growing distress among women and midwives. These findings are echoed by World Health Organization staff in country offices globally.
As a result of communication with midwives, ICM released a Joint Statement with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) calling for governments, decision makers, donors and health institutions to ensure the protection of midwives, women and newborns during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The Birth Center Equity Fund was created to make birth center care an option for every person who wants it, by growing and sustaining birth centers led by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC).
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An interview with the team over at GoodBirth Network to talk about their vision of bringing "together health professionals to support a global network of midwifery centers in collaborative quality initiatives. The GoodBirth Network consists of midwifery centers in low and middle income countries that desire to work with global peers to achieve and recognize excellence."
Their open-hearted and brilliant team includes: Cris Alonso, Stan Shaffer, and Jennifer Stevens.
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An interview with Franka Cadee, President of the International Confederation of Midwives, discussing the world's midwives and the upcoming 32nd Annual Confederation of Midwives Congress.
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Led by Betsy McNamara of Full Circle Consulting, Transforming Birth Fund focused on research and best practice dissemination, operational support and coalition building. It took risks, and was willing to get creative, leading the way for foundations to support the work of midwives and maternal health changemakers.
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A fascinating life and book discussion with Michael C. Klein, Family Physician, Pediatrician, Neonatologist, Maternity Care Researcher, and author about his book "Dissident Doctor".
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The InTune Mother Society supports childbearing families through pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting in a sustainable way, with focus on healing justice and human development from an eco-social justice framework
RaShaunda Lugrand is an artist, wife, mother and social entrepreneur. Now residing in Oklahoma, RaShaunda is a certified homebirth consultant and homeschool learning coach. She is a self published author of the children's book "The Karma of The Butterfly", Founder, along with husband Melvin Lugrand, of the InTune Mother Society, and also the innovative Beehive Birth Consulting Service.
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This podcast is the story of how the community helped visionaries create a midwifery-led birthplace in rural New Mexico. Hear insightful and illuminating discussion around the process of the founding, the day to day work that is done at Breath of My Heart Birthplace, and how advocacy and policy work is done in collaboration with other New Mexico activists.
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Tina Sherman discusses the Family Leave Act, FMLA, MomsRising and speaks about breastfeeding campaigns around the country.
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Professor Saraswathi Vedam will Chair the US Birth Summit IV: Addressing Our Shared Responsibility to Ensure Equity, Safety, and Respect Across All Communities. Overall, the aim of Birth Summit IV is risk reduction and improved access to high quality care across all communities.
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Suzanne discusses the position statements from organizations representing over 700,000 health care providers such as The American College of Nurse-Midwives and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and breaks down the impact on the health of millions who potentially may no longer be able to access vital healthcare services.
Suzanne brings a midwife's vision, compassion and expertise to this discussion.
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Interview with Ginger Breedlove, primary consultant of Grow Midwives, President of March for Moms, and Author of Nobody Told Me About That: The First 6 Weeks
Podcast Guests
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Sally Pairman
Sally Pairman is a New Zealander and arrived in the Netherlands in January 2017 to take up the role of CEO at International Confederation of Midwives (ICM).
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Bounmy Inthavong
Bounmy Inthavong, is a current recipient of the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) Young Midwife Leader (YML) program and the acting Vice-President of the Association of Ontario Midwives (Ontario, Canada).
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Lakisa Muhammad
Motivated by a passion to help pregnancy families experience safe and healthy births, Lakisa Muhammad serves as a community midwife.
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Michelle Ivette Ponce
Michelle Ivette Ponce is a multi-disciplinary artist, celebrant, and spiritual life coach.
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Nashira Baril
Nashira Baril (she/her) a Black cis woman, is the daughter and great-granddaughter of midwives, who birthed both of her children at home and has experienced firsthand the transformative experience and liberation of midwifery support.
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Leseliey Welch
Leseliey Welch, is co-founder of Birth Detroit. She leads a team of birth workers, birth advocates and public health workers planning Detroit’s first freestanding birth center.
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Indra Wood Lusero
Indra Wood Lusero, Esq., (Director, President) is a Staff Attorney with National Advocates for Pregnant Women, and Founder of Elephant Circle, a Colorado-based birth justice organization.
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Cris Alonso
Cris Alonso, MPH, CPM founded the Luna Maya Birth Centers in Mexico. She collaborates with the Goodbirth Network supporting midwifery centers around the world.
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Jennifer Stevens
Jennifer Stevens has been a midwife for over 15 years. As director at Reading Birth Center, she attended births in home, hospital and birth center settings.
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Franka Cadée
Franka Cadée is an expert on Midwifery and advisor on international maternal health, with over 30 years of strategy and policy developments, advocacy, leadership, project management and partnership.
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Amy Haderer
Amy resides in Denver, CO with her husband Paul and six beautiful children. She graduated with a BFA in Illustration in 2005 and has since applied herself to many different artistic venues.
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Betsy McNamara
Betsy McNamara serves as Consultant to the Transforming Birth Fund, a donor advised fund of the New Hampshire charitable Foundation. Betsy's career has focused on fundraising for community-based nonprofits. She has raised tens of millions of dollars for organizations in education, human services, affordable housing, the arts, and land conservation.
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Michael C. Klein
Michael C. Klein Dr. Michael C. Klein received theOrder of Canada in 2017. His citation reads: "Refusing to serve as an officer in the US Army Medical Corps during the Vietnam War, he fled to Canada in 1967 with his wife Bonnie.
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Amy Wright Glenn
Amy Wright Glenn Amy Wright Glenn earned her MA in Religion and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
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RaShaunda Lugrand
RaShaunda Lugrand is an artist, wife, mother and social entrepreneur. Now residing in Oklahoma, RaShaunda is a certified homebirth consultant and homeschool learning coach.
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Jessica Garcia-Lujan
Indigenous Women’s Health and Reproductive Justice Program Manager, has been working with Tewa Women United since 2010 as a community doula, childbirth educator, Certified Lactation Educator and in her current position since 2015.
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Steph McCreary
is the current Yiya Vi Kagingdi Doula Project Coordinator at Tewa Women United. Steph's work at TWU has ranged from coordinating direct services for families in the six Tewa speaking Pueblos and Rio Arriba County..
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Belin Marcus
Belin Marcus is a midwife and founding community stakeholder of BMH. She is a member of Ohkay Owingeh pueblo and the first Pueblo midwife to receive licensure under the LM credential in NM. She trained with BMH from 2012-2017 and is a single mother and Sii’ya (grandma).
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Gina Dacosta
Gina Dacosta, de Morovis, PR, asistió a la Universidad de PR. Trabajó como profesora de idiomas y profesora universitaria durante 6 años en Nueva York y Puerto Rico.
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Tina Sherman
Tina Sherman is the Campaign Director for the Breastfeeding and Paid leave Campaigns at MomsRising, an on-the-ground and online multicultural organization..
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Professor Saraswathi Vedam
Professor Saraswathi Vedam will Chair theUS Birth Summit IV: Addressing Our Shared Responsibility to Ensure Equity, Safety, and Respect Across All Communities.
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Lena S. Wood
Lena S. Wood is a feminist nurse-midwife, educator, trans-national adoptee, and mindfulness practitioner and teacher, among many other identities.
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Suzanne Wertman
Suzanne Wertman, State Government Affairs Consultant for the American College of Nurse-Midwives, discussed the impact of the new Title X funding and eligibility rules in the first of a two part podseries on Title X.
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Ginger Breedlove
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Jessica Frechette-Gutfreund
Jessica Frechette-Gutfreund LM, CPM, IBCLC, MSM is a midwife and executive director of BMH
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Amy Chen
Amy Chen, Senior Staff Attorney National Health Law Program, discussing Medicaid coverage of doula care, the process of careful advocacy and bringing the critical voices to the table when beginning any process of accessible doula care for all.