Evidence Based Birth®

On today's podcast, I interview Fiona and Craig Castleton about their birthing experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fiona and Craig welcomed their first baby in April 2020 — when everything was locked down. To prepare for their experience, they took the Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class with EBB Instructor, Shalin Butterworth, who also happened to be their doula. We talk about their experience taking the online Evidence Based Birth Childbirth Class and how Shalin helped mentor them in comfort measures and advocacy. We also talk about birthing during the COVID-19 pandemic and how they advocated for themselves during pregnancy and during the birth. Fiona has shorter stature and had a history of spinal fusion surgery as a teen, and she had to navigate conflicting medical opinions about her ability to have an epidural or, even whether or not she could have a vaginal birth. In the end, Fiona and Craig used their advocacy skills and had an empowering unmedicated hospital birthing experience as first-time parents. Shalin Butterworth, their doula, and EBB Instructor: https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/ Take an EBB Childbirth Class from Shalin: https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/ebb-for-expecting-families Birth Words podcast located here: https://www.birthwords.com/podcast Birth Words class for professionals here: https://www.birthwords.com/classes   Feminist Midwife blog: https://www.feministmidwife.com/ Feminist Midwife e-newsletter: https://feministmidwife.substack.com/about?utm_source=subscribe_email&utm_content=learn_more For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, I wrap up all the resources we created at Evidence Based Birth in 2020, as well as the challenges we faced as a team. I also talk about what our plans are for the year 2021. This was not an easy podcast to record. How do you sum up a year like 2020? Like many of you, our team members at EBB have experienced loss and grief, uncertainty and anxiety, stress, and burnout. Somehow our team pulled together to continue getting evidence based information to the public. We leaned on each other— when some of us were having difficulties, others pitched in... then roles would quickly reverse. "Teamwork makes the dreamwork" was frequently mentioned in our Slack channel! In the end, we were still able to fulfill our EBB mission (making research evidence publicly available) while caring for ourselves and our families. And I am incredibly proud of our team for that accomplishment. I'd encourage you to check out today's podcast to learn about all the resources that were created for you this year at Evidence Based Birth and to get a sneak peek of what we hope to publish next year. You can listen to that podcast episode (or read the transcript) here (link). We also created a Spotify playlist of songs that have inspired some of us through difficult times. You can check out that music playlist here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5w25L1849X9dTVt0RGMkOe?si=xx61fpXmR1ujTcqiOtrClA On behalf of the entire EBB team, I'd like to send you our best wishes for a healing and restorative New Year in 2021. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In today’s episode, I interview Nicole Deggins, a Certified Nurse Midwife and one of the country's leading birth advocacy experts.. She served as faculty for the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative and sits on the Louisiana Pregnancy-Associated Mortality Review committee, the Louisiana Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies council, and is a consultant for the Global Infant Safe Sleep Center. Nicole has provided guest lectures to public health students at universities and has provided training and consultation to many local and national agencies, including the New Orleans Maternal Child Health Coalition, Birthing Project USA, Birthmark Doula Collective, Healthy Start New Orleans, New Orleans WIC and others.  **Trigger Content Warning: This episode talks about systemic racism in birth work and racial trauma.** As we wrap up the "International Year of the Nurse and Midwife," I'm grateful to Nicole Deggins for coming on the podcast. Don't miss this episode, where Nicole talks about Black midwifery, labor and delivery nursing, doula training, and the founding of Sista Midwife Productions. She also shares her experiences of navigating systemic racism as a Black pregnant mother and birth professional. Nicole also shares her own inspirational preterm birth story. Learn more about Nicole Deggins and Sista Midwife Productions Birth Sister/Doula training here (https://www.sistamidwife.com/ and https://www.sistamidwife.com/doulatraining). Follow Sista Midwife Productions on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/SistaMidwife) and on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/sistamidwife).  Learn more about Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative here (https://partnersforfamilyhealth.org/lapqc/).  Learn more about Louisiana Healthy Moms here (https://ldh.la.gov/index.cfm/page/231).  Learn more about Global Infant Safe Sleep Center (GISSC) here (https://gisscenter.org/). Follow GISSC on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/gisscenter/).  Learn more about New Orleans Maternal Child Health Coalition (NOMCHC) here (https://wavestarter.tulane.edu/campaigns/new-orleans-maternal-and-child-health-coalition-student-assistant-stipends) and follow NOMCHC on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/nolamchcoalition).  Learn more about Birthing Project USA here (https://www.healthystartepic.org/resources/evidence-based-practices/birthing-project-usa/).  Learn more about the Birthmark Doula Collective here (https://www.birthmarkdoulas.com/). Follow the Birthmark Doula Collective on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/birthmarkdoulas/), on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/birthmarkdoulas), and on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/BirthmarkDoulas).  Learn about Healthy Start New Orleans here (https://www.nola.gov/health-department/healthy-start/).  Learn more about New Orleans WIC here (https://www.nola.gov/health/wic/).  Learn more about the “Bringin' in Da Spirit” documentary here (https://www.twn.org/catalog/pages/responsive/cpage.aspx?rec=1119&card=price).  Learn more about Shafia Monroe and SMC Full Circle Doula Birth Companion Training here (https://shafiamonroe.com/). Follow Shafia on Instagram and Black Midwife Cooking here (https://www.instagram.com/shafiamonroe/).  Follow Shafia on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/Shafia_SMC). Follow Shafia on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/shafiamonroeconsulting/).  Learn more about the International Center for Traditional Childbearing (ICTC) here (https://thenaabb.org/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today’s episode, I will be talking with Dr. Juan Michelle Martin. Dr. Martin is a pelvic floor specialist for 13 years. Dr. Martin is the owner and founder of JMM Health Solutions. She's created a few programs for pregnant individuals as well as two coaching programs, one of them being a 12-week program for people with endometriosis, and the other being a four-week program for individuals suffering from dyspareunia. We talk about the benefits of pelvic floor therapy for pregnancy and postpartum. We also talk about the importance of advocating for accessible pelvic care services. Learn more about Dr. Juan Michelle Martin here (https://www.jmmhealthsolutions.com/). Follow Dr. Martin on Instagram here (www.instagram.com/thepelvicperspective). View Dr. Martin’s pelvic floor topic videos on YouTube for JMM Health Solutions here (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKNEkVefn_wLgrqlf4wyXHw).  Learn more about Academy of Pelvic Health (APH) here (https://aptapelvichealth.org/). Follow APH on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/aptapelvic/).  Learn more about Herman & Wallace here (https://hermanwallace.com/). Follow Herman & Wallace on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/HermanandWallace/).  Learn more about DONA International here (https://www.dona.org/). Follow DONA International on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/DONAInternational/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Grace Murphy and Roderick Murphy about their home birth during COVID. Grace Murphy has been married to Roderick Murphy for the past two years, and they were high school sweethearts. Grace and Roderick are graduates of the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. They welcomed their firstborn son, Edmond, on June 14th of 2020. Roderick has been in the Army for the past six years, and just transferred to the civilian world in July of 2020, so they've been through three nine-month deployments throughout their dating and marriage.  We will talk about their experience with having to plan and prepare for a homebirth during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also talk about helpful suggestions for other families who are wanting to homebirth. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this episode, I will talk about cervical ripening, the Bishop score, and some "mechanical" ways to ripen the cervix. More specifically, we'll talk about the advantages and disadvantages of cervical osmotic dilators (including Dilapan-S®), and using the Foley balloon for cervical ripening. Get on the wait list for the Pocket Guide here: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/pocket-guide-wait-list/ References on Cervical Ripening: Curran, M. (2020). Bishop Score Calculator. Click here. Kolkman, D. G. E., Verhoeven, C. J. M., Brinkhorst, S. J., et al. (2013). Bishop score as a predictor of labor induction success: a systematic review. American Journal of Perinatology, 30(8), 625-30. Click here. Ivars, J., Garabedian, C., Devos, P., et al. (2016). Simplified Bishop score including parity predicts successful induction of labor. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol., 203, 309-314. Click here. References on the Foley: Abdelhakim, A. M. Shareef, M .A., AlAmodi, A. A., et al. (2020). Outpatient versus inpatient balloon catheter insertion for labor induction: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Gynecology Obstetrics and Human Reproduction, In Press. Click here. Alfirevic, Z., Keeney, E., Dowswell, T., et al. (2016). Methods to induce labour: a systematic review, network meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis. BJOG., 123(9), 1462-1470. Click here. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2009, Reaffirmed 2019). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of labor. Obstet Gynecol.,114(2 Pt 1), 386-397. Click here. de Vaan, M. D. T., ten Eikelder, M. L. G., Jozwiak, M., et al. (2019). Mechanical methods for induction of labour.
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 10. Art. No.: CD001233. Click here. Dong, S., Khan, M., Hashimi, F., et al. (2020). Inpatient versus outpatient induction of labour: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 20(1), 382. Click here. Leduc, D., Biringer, A., Lee, L., et al. (2013). Induction of Labor: SOGC Clinical Practice Guideline. No. 296, 35(9), 840-857. Click here. Liu, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, F., et al. (2019). Double- versus single-balloon catheters for labour induction and cervical ripening: a meta-analysis. BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 19(1), 358. Click here. Simpson, K. R. (2020). Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction and Augmentation, 5th Edition. AWHONN Practice Monograph, 24(4), PS1-S41. Click here. References on Dilapan-S: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2009, Reaffirmed 2019). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of labor. Obstet Gynecol.,114(2 Pt 1), 386-397. Click here. Levine, L. D., Valencia, C. M. and Tolosa, J. E. (2020). Induction of labor in continuing pregnancies. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol., S1521-6934(20), 30079-1. Click here. Gupta, J., Chodankar, R., Baev, O., et al. (2018). Synthetic osmotic dilators in the induction of labour-An international multicentre observational study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol., 229, 70-75. Click here. Saad, A. F., Villarreal, J., Eid, J., et al. (2019). A randomized controlled trial of Dilapan-S vs Foley balloon for preinduction cervical ripening (DILAFOL trial). Am J Obstet Gynecol., 220(3), 275.e1-275.e9. Click here. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In today's podcast episode, we're going to talk with Shafia Monroe about the role of the traditional midwife. Shafia Monroe is a public health professional, a midwife, a motivational speaker, founder of the International Center for Traditional Childbearing, or ICTC, which was the first US-based black midwives and doulas professional organization. Shafia is also an author, infant mortality prevention specialist, doula trainer, and president of Doula Ready LLC. Since 2002, she has trained thousands of people in doula trainings, with one-third of them going on to become midwives. In 2012, Shafia received her Master of Public Health from Walden University. In 2014, she opened Shafia Monroe Consulting, a cultural competency training service. Shafia has received numerous awards for her work, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Midwife Hero Award. In this podcast, Ms. Monroe discusses the history of Black traditional midwifery and incorporating spirituality into birth work. We also talk about Shafia’s experience becoming a traditional Black midwife, along with her passion for advocacy in birth work through her doula program and her community. **Trigger Content Warning: This podcast episode discusses racism and infant loss.**

In this episode I talk about the updated research evidence on using membrane sweeping or membrane stripping for inducing labor. Is membrane sweeping effective? What are the advantages and disadvantages? Why do some providers perform membrane sweeping without asking your permission beforehand? We talk about all of this, and more, in this latest episode of the Evidence Based Birth® podcast! For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

In this episode, I am joined with Brett Iimura to discuss global childbirth education and birth in Japan. Brett has had a varied career, including being a hansom cab driver in New York City, an ASL interpreter, field producer for Japanese TV, literacy tutor and childbirth educator, and doula. She has facilitated in-person classes as a certified childbirth educator and is the director of the Childbirth Education Center, the CEC, based in Japan. Brett has provided childbirth education classes in the United States for 25 years as well, adding a remote or virtual option nine years ago. More than 2000 birthing people and their support partners from over 80 countries have attended CEC’s classes to date. CEC also runs a program that offers a certification in the art of childbirth education for student midwives. We talk about navigating to find a supportive birthing team in Japan, Japan’s medical approaches to birth, along with childbirth education compared to the United States. We also speak about the differences in facilitating childbirth classes internationally, along with adjusting to transitioning from in-person instruction to virtual and remote facilitated childbirth education classes. RESOURCES: Morton, Christine H, and Clarissa Hsu. “Contemporary dilemmas in american childbirth education: findings from a comparative ethnographic study.” The Journal of perinatal education vol. 16,4 (2007): 25-37. doi:10.1624/105812407X245614. Learn more about this study here (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2174386/). Learn more about Brett Iimura and Birth in Japan here (https://www.birthinjapan.com/). Learn more about Kimberly Seal Allers here (https://www.kimberlysealsallers.com/) and The Irth App here (https://birthwithoutbias.com/). Follow Kimberly Seal Allers on Twitter here (https://twitter.com/iamksealsallers?lang=en) and on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/iamksealsallers/?hl=en). You can follow The Irth App on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/theirthapp/?hl=en) and on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/TheIrthApp). Learn more about Cristen Pascucci and Birth Monopoly here (https://birthmonopoly.com/). Follow Birth Monopoly on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/birthmonopoly) and on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/birthmonopoly/?hl=en). Learn more about Jennie Joseph here (https://jenniejoseph.com/) and Commonsense Childbirth here (https://commonsensechildbirth.org/). Follow Jennie Josehp on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeJennie) and on Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/thejjway/?hl=en). Follow Commonsence Childbrith on Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/perinataltskfrc/).   Click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/birth-justice/) to see the Evidence Based Birth® list of Birth Justice Resources, including research on racism and maternal health. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

**Trigger Warning: This podcast contains content on the topic of obstetric abuse and birth trauma.** In this episode, I interview Brittany “Tru” Kellman, the Founder and Executive Director of Jamaa Birth Village in Ferguson, Missouri. She is a mother and wife, certified professional midwife, certified doula and doula trainer, breastfeeding peer counselor, and author. In 2015 she launched her community campaign to improve birth, maternal, and infant care, and the overall wellness of families in and around St. Louis by launching the non-profit that is today the Jamaa Birth Village.  Through the midwifery model of care, Tru has seen hope restored, thriving pregnancies, and healthy births and postpartum periods. In 2019, Tru became Missouri’s first Black certified professional midwife, in order to serve families in the provider role. She is a recipient of the prestigious Dr. Corinne Walentik Leadership in Health Award, through the Missouri Foundation for Health. We talk about Tru’s start in birth work, the importance of community advocacy, and the unique needs of families and birthing people of color.  For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class. RESOURCES: Follow the Jamaa Birth Village on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jamaabirthvillage/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/jamaabirthvillage/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/jamaabirth?lang=en) and its website (https://jamaabirthvillage.org/). Click here (https://jamaabirthvillage.org/doula-training-program) for information on the Jamaa Birth Village Doula Training Program. Follow Brittany Tru Kellman, CPM on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TruKellman/?ref=page_internal) Click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/birth-justice/) to see the Evidence Based Birth® list of Birth Justice Resources, including research on racism and maternal health. For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.