Full Story The Birth Keepers: When Emilee met Yolande – episode two
Jan 6, 2026
Emilee Saldaya, a self-styled birth activist and founder of the Free Birth Society, teams up with Yolande Norris-Clark, a doula and online birth influencer. They delve into the radical idea of 'free birth,' rejecting traditional medical practices. Emilee shares her journey from a performer to an advocate, while Yolande discusses her upbringing and transition to promoting unmedicalised births. The conversation raises alarms over their bold claims, controversial practices, and the significant influence they hold over their followers, questioning both safety and credibility.
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Why Some Women Distrust Hospitals
- The podcast frames US maternal care as a system that can brutalise women, pushing some to seek alternatives.
- Financial incentives, litigation fears and consent failures help explain high C-section rates and distrust in hospitals.
Secret Underground Births
- Emily moved from supporting hospital and home births to promoting underground births without midwives.
- She described keeping these solo births quiet while believing she'd found 'the truth about birth.'
How Emily Found Yolanda
- Emily discovered Yolanda Norris-Clark on a podcast and reached out, admiring her voice and authority on free birth.
- Emily resolved to make Yolanda her ally and touted a plan to make them close collaborators in FBS.