Born Free Method: The Podcast

Despite what social media and even some medical professionals will say, pregnancy doesn’t mean an automatic loss of strength and physical fitness. Today’s guest, Erika Harper, is proof of that.Erika is a lifelong athlete who has maintained her strength and fitness through two major surgeries to remove uterine fibroids and two pregnancies and C-sections. In this conversation, Erika and I talk about her birth stories, what it takes to retain your autonomy throughout pregnancy, the difference between movement for fitness and aesthetics, how meditative work helped her through her pregnancies, rekindling intimacy in the postpartum period, and more. As a yogi, speaker, mental health counselor, and sex therapist, Erika brings a unique perspective to the pregnancy and postpartum conversation, and I know you’ll enjoy this episode.(00:10:06) Showing What’s Possible(00:13:06) Respecting the Process(00:29:27) Observing the Observer(00:42:54) Optimizing Recovery(00:57:50) Black Women’s Healthcare(01:09:45) Birth TraumaVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/112Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Glow blend!Learn More & Connect with Erika HarperInstagram @HarperErika7Website | ErikaHarperYoga.comBook | Fearless Gumba & Sweet Pea Snorty Magee: Shades of BlackConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

It’s a fallacy to think of ourselves as separate from nature. Becoming a parent creates a massive shift in consciousness, and integrating that transformation is essential to embracing it, learning from it, and fully embodying it. One of the ways we can facilitate this integration is through plant medicine.Maestro Medico Vegetalista Hamilton Souther shares his exceptionally insightful perspective on plant medicine and our connection with nature. In this conversation, we talk about the stark difference between traditional plant medicine training and Western psychedelic culture, connecting with your baby's spirit, releasing birth trauma and generational trauma, the deep and personal work facilitated when you truly connect with nature, and more.(00:12:34) The Role of Traditional Plant Medicine(00:25:44) The Guide’s Role(00:29:54) Rites of Passage(00:48:54) Our War Against Nature(01:03:52) An Experience of Opening and Awakening(01:12:58) The Role of Intention SettingVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/111Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to clear HPV from your body!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreWebsite | BlueMorphoTours.comInstagram @HamiltonSoutherConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

Many of my friends and allies in the wellness space recommended that I connect with Mark England. One day, we jumped on a call and the rest was magic. Before I knew it, Mark and I were hiking through the woods of Louisville, KY. I made the invitation. Mark accepted. And here we are: "ABRACADABRA". Mark England is the founder of Enlifted. Enlifted is a specialty certification on the power of words and stories and how to dismantle the dreaded Victim Mentality. Enlifted Level 1 certification is ideal for anyone who is already coaching or wants to start that wants to have the skills and the confidence to make it as a coach. The Get Enlifted Podcast  is for coaches and anyone who wants to build their skills with your language.Mark's core language program Procabulary is the most common-sensical, simple, yet effective strategy for examining our language and changing it in even subtle ways to optimize the way that we show up in life, our relationships, and our businesses.  Podcast made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to clear HPV from your body!--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

When we talk about birth as a sacred experience, it’s not about feeling no pain and golden light with classical music playing. It will be bloody and probably messy, but there’s a deep, transformative power when we embrace the rites of passage we’re meant to go through as humans.Those unmedicated, oxytocin-filled, physiological births are becoming a rarity, but they’re sacred. It means intact relationships, more empathy in the culture, and more people who have a sense of harmony with their environment. If we want to see a change in the world, we must consider how we bring babies into it.Today I’m joined by Kimberly Ann Johnson, a Sexological Bodyworker, Somatic Experiencing trauma resolution practitioner, yoga teacher, birth doula, and single mom. Kimberly is doing some unique work, and we’ve bonded over the role of hospital interventions in natural childbirth. She doesn’t shy away from the complex, controversial conversations, and she joins us to explore how we can start to repair the harm we’ve done as a society regarding birth.Visit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/110Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreWebsite | KimberlyAnnJohnson.comPodcast | Sex Birth TraumaBook with Stephen Jenkinson | ReckoningInstagram @kimberly.ann.johnsonConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

A sacred hunt is a spiritual practice. On the hunt, there's an incredible attunement to the oscillation between masculine and feminine, that occurs in nearly every moment of our lives. It’s as much about connecting with the land, and the animal you're hoping to kill, as it is about holding a rifle and learning how to shoot.Kyle Kingsbury introduced me to the experience, and together with a group of my guy friends, we went on a three-day hunt led by today’s guest, Mansal Denton, and his two guides. Mansal makes the trip special, starting by writing a love letter to the animal you’re going to kill. Many ceremonial elements are threaded throughout, and we came away with an incredible experience.(00:10:32) A Study of TOOL(00:15:38) The Sacred Hunt(00:28:18) Radical Responsibility(00:38:22) Rites of Passage(00:49:07) Societal Impact(00:57:01) The Fear of DeathVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/109Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to clear HPV from your body!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreInstagram @MansalDentonBook | Sacred Hunting: Rekindling an Ancient Spiritual PracticeConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

In my days as a resident doing hundreds of circumcisions, I didn’t give much thought to the implications. We were taught the benefits of the procedure and counseled patients the same. But outside of religious rites, the United States is the only nation that circumcises infants in this standardized way.So, why do we continue to cut the genitals of our newborn baby males when the rest of the world does not?This is the question filmmaker and author Brendon Marotta set out to answer in his latest film, American Circumcision. The film explores both sides of the circumcision debate, and it’s won multiple awards. It's a very polarising topic, but Brendon takes an unbiased approach, featuring numerous experts for and against.(00:08:44) Misinformation & Gaslighting(00:16:53) The Procedure(00:19:26) A Social Construct(00:30:04) Developing a Culture of Compliance(00:52:57) The Circumcision Experience(00:59:36) Society’s Actions as a Reflection of Our Children(01:09:24) Identity is a Prison(01:21:28) The Ability To Be WrongVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/108Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreWebsite | BrendonMarotta.comFilm | American CircumcisionInstagram @BDMarottaPodcast | The Brendon Marotta ShowConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

FOR THE DADS is a series of podcasts that will provide helpful insights to current or soon-to-be fathers! Archetypes are the vehicles we use to express ourselves. Chronic stress and cultural influences can make exploring the dark and uncomfortable parts of ourselves challenging, leaving us stuck in behaviors that aren’t serving us. Archetypal work gives us a tool to explore these aspects as less of a personal flaw and more of a collective pattern that we can shift.For holistic health practitioner and shamanic energy healer Greg Schmaus, this type of work has been very reflective of his healing journey. The work he’s doing is profoundly impactful, and the way he shares about archetypal work in today’s interview is incredibly insightful. You're going to love this episode. (00:09:56) The Journey to Who You Are(00:16:18) Lessons From Fatherhood(00:27:19) Survival Archetypes(00:34:46) Archetypal Work(00:48:09) Stepping Into The Father Archetype(00:56:25) The Imago Dei Archetype(01:04:13) COVID & The Survival Archetypes(01:14:36) Childhood TraumaVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/107Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to clear HPV from your body!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreWebsite | Healing4D.comHealing The Mind: A Journey To Wholeness: 21-Day Guided Program - code PODCAST20 for 20% offInstagram @4d_healingConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium /... Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

Pregnancy is an entire transformation; there’s far more to it than urine dipsticks, fundal heights, and Dopp tones. If we keep doing things within the strict, sterile, traditional boundaries of patient and doctor, we’ll never move closer to an optimal style of maternity care. It’s not a disease process, and a different type of care is required.Brooke Schmoe is the founder and midwife of probably the most unusual midwifery practice you’ve ever heard of: The Midwife Bus. Working in a birth center, Brooke realized that she was drawn to providing care to the underdogs and people who didn't have a lot of love. Remembering a guest lecture back in midwifery school, she reached out to a midwife who had a mobile clinic, and from there, The Midwife Bus was born.I'm very excited to bring this episode to you, and I hope it inspires you to be a part of the positive change in your community.(00:10:26) A Very Unusual Midwifery Practice(00:20:35) Acts of Service(00:26:14) A More Optimal Style of Maternity Care(00:31:11) Trauma-Informed Care(00:35:51) School of Hard Knocks(00:42:28) Midwife Boundaries(00:50:31) Home Birth Insights(00:54:05) A Self-Sustaining Nonprofit(00:57:25) Experimenting With Franchising(01:00:13) Change Requires CareVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/106Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off their new CollaGenius!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Harmony cacao blend!Learn MoreWebsite | TheMidwifeBus.orgDonate to The Midwife BusThe Midwife Bus on Instagram @TheMidwifeBusConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message:... Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

Everything we do - both women and men - in the preconception period impacts the pregnancy experience and outcome.As a registered dietitian, today’s guest Ayla Barmmer saw the need for a new type of prenatal that provided the right amounts of nutrients in bioavailable form. She recognized that nothing on the market fit the bill, so she created FullWell Fertility, a fertility wellness product and education brand.FullWell has become - by far - my favorite prenatal vitamin on the market. On top of a healthy lifestyle, it's your insurance policy to ensure that you, your baby, and your partner are as healthy as can be from conception through postpartum.(00:11:37) The Birth of FullWell Fertility(00:17:33) Folate vs. Folic Acid(00:25:28) Optimizing Your Fertility(00:35:43) The Ultimate Combo: Food + Lifestyle + High-Quality Supplementation(00:43:49) Genetic Imprinting(00:49:17) Bioavailability & Dosage(00:55:19) Nervous System BalancingVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/105Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to balance your adrenals and clear HPV from your body!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid supplement you'll ever need!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Gold Latte!Learn MoreWebsite | FullWellFertility.comAyla Barmmer on Instagram @aylabarmmer_rdConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopBelovedHolistics.comMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message:... Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe

Like many people in the hospital system, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there must be more I could be doing to help. But what if we could improve that system? Not replace it but integrate it into a more whole-person approach.Anthroposophic medicine is a patient-focused integrative medical system, and it can be very validating for those who feel like something's been missing. Here to explore its history and application is Dr. Adam Blanning. I encourage you to approach this conversation with an open heart. Adam has incredible insights into how we can reimagine the human experience and heal the person through the lens of the fourfold human being.(00:09:17) Deepening the Healer’s Toolkit(00:17:47) Anthroposophic Medicine(00:30:27) The Role of Plant Study(00:38:46) Working Through Warmth & Fever(01:04:06) The Fourfold Human Being(01:11:58) Reflections on Consciousness & RemediesVisit the show notes for more: https://www.BelovedHolistics.com/103Made possible by:FullWell - code BELOVED10 for 10% off the best prenatal vitamins and men's virility vitamins on the planet!BIRTHFIT - code BELOVED to get one month FREE in their B! Community!BiOptimizers - code BELOVED for 10% off the only sleep aid supplement you'll ever need!Immune Intel AHCC - code BELOVED10 for 10% off their incredible immune-boosting product to balance your adrenals and clear HPV from your body!Organifi - code BELOVED for 20% off their Gold Chocolate Latte! "A healthy hot chocolate!"Connect with Dr. Adam BlanningDenver Center for Anthroposophic TherapiesPhysicians' Association for Anthroposophic MedicineConnect with meInstagram @nathanrileyobgynTikTok @nathanrileyobgynBeloved Holistics ShopBelovedHolistics.comMedical Disclaimer: The Holistic OBGYN Podcast is an educational program. No information conveyed through this podcast should be construed as medical advice. These conversations are available to the public for educational and entertainment purposes only.Music provided by EdvardGaresPremium / Pond5--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theholisticobgyn/message Get full access to Born Free Method: The Podcast at nathanrileyobgyn.substack.com/subscribe