The Birth Lounge Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 218: Hospital Culture or Cult Behavior? with Billie Harrigan Aug 30, 2023

Show notes

It’s no secret that the healthcare system is a profit-driven industry that needs an immediate overhaul to improve patient outcomes and start centering patient preferences. We all know that many hospital practices aren’t evidence-based but rather designed to move the bottom line, financially, for the institution. Billie Harrigan is a Traditional Birth Companion and owner of Birth Trauma Ontario in Canada who has been serving families for over 40 years. With extensive international experience, Billie understands the complexities of modern maternity services and the pervasive issues that contribute to birth-related trauma and negative outcomes. Today’s conversation will challenge your assumptions of the medical system and push you to expand the perspectives in which you see the delivery of healthcare in the US & Canada by discussing common tactics used by cults and the resemblance of hospital care. We dive into the impact of non-trauma-informed care on patients’ short-term and long-term well-being. Buckle up because this episode is like nothing else you’ve ever experienced!

The Birth Lounge doors are open!!! Join here: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/join

Billie’s Traditional Birth Companion Program: https://billieharrigan.com/becoming-a-traditional-birth-companion

Is hospital care actually evidence based? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241518/

The System Isn’t Broken: https://billieharrigan.com/blog/2019/11/6/the-system-isnt-broken-but-its-people-are

Ep. 217: Four Induction Methods No One has Shared with You Aug 22, 2023

Show notes

Season Opener!!! This episode is jam packed with data and discussion points to help you have an informed conversation around finding your perfect induction equation so you can have a positive induction experience!

The choice to be induced is a very personal one and one that should be made very intentionally. This episode dives into 4 options of induction that you probably have never heard of! These options can help decrease your risk for cesarean and reduce the need for additional interventions!

The Birth Lounge: https://www.thebirthlounge.com

Induction Equation Video: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/induction-equation

Induction Cheat Sheet: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/induction

Oral Miso:

https://www.cochrane.org/CD001338/PREG_oral-misoprostol-induction-labour

Outpatient Ripeners:

https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378(22)00798-0/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_aip_email

https://www.obgproject.com/2023/05/10/outpatient-labor-induction-with-misoprostol-impact-on-length-of-stay-and-vaginal-delivery-rates/?mc_cid=83f577ac38&mc_eid=854ebe014b

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7027046/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1871519220302845

Melatonin:

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/10/12/3252

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00616/full

https://www.cochrane.org/CD010527/PREG_giving-melatonin-women-pregnancy-protect-babys-brain-and-improve-long-term-outcomes-baby

https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/R21-HD086392-01 (Brigham & Women’s Hospital)

https://fetalmedicine.org/abstracts/2022/var/pdf/abstracts/2022/03846.pdf

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34058776/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7044825/

EPO:

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/evidence-on-evening-primrose-oil-epo/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1876382022000257

https://brieflands.com/articles/fga-130352.html

Ep 216: Bias in the Birth Room Jul 12, 2023

Show notes

The truth is-- unbiased care does not exist. If everyone from your doctor to your mom to the stranger in the super market has biases, what are you supposed to do? Plus, do those biases increase your risk of experiencing birth trauma? This episode will tell you exactly why it's important to be able to spot bias and what to do with it if you encounter provider bias that is impacting your care. I also share tips to reducing your risk of birth trauma.

Questions to ask your provider: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Interviewing-Providers

The Birth Lounge: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Work with me: https://www.tranquilitybyhehe.com/

Ep. 215: How to Avoid a C-section Jun 07, 2023

Show notes

Unnecessareans (Unnecessary c-sections) are on the rise in America and for many reasons! So many women prepare for labor from a place of wanting to avoid a c-section but fail to understand what actually CAUSES unnecessary cesareans! Without understanding WHAT causes them, it will be very hard to implement HOW to actually avoid one!

There are things you can do, decisions you can make and conversations you can have that will mitigate your risk of unnecessary intervention and allow you to avoid having a cesarean birth when that is not your plan!

This episode will teach you the three most influential things you can do to avoid an unnecessarean!

Join The Birth Lounge: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/join

Sources for this episode:

Spontaneous Labor: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/215/4538/1396 https://www.ejog.org/article/S0301-2115(98)00058-X/abstract https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0137188 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1948087/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26776817/
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/11/definition-of-term-pregnancy
https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2014/03/safe-prevention-of-the-primary-cesarean-delivery https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/01/macrosomia Labor at home: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/american-obstetrics-in-the-1950s/ https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2019/02/approaches-to-limit-intervention-during-labor-and-birth https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2014/03/safe-prevention-of-the-primary-cesarean-delivery https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3660040/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595201/ Failure to Progress: https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2014/03/safe-prevention-of-the-primary-cesarean-delivery https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010088.pub3/full
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/obstetric-care-consensus/articles/2014/03/safe-prevention-of-the-primary-cesarean-delivery

Ep. 214: Using Prenatal Yoga as a Tool to Prepare Your Mind and Body for Birth with Deb Flashenberg of Yoga | Birth | Babies Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

HeHe and Deb connect to discuss the Mind-Body Connection and its' impact in labor'.

The importance of movement in pregnancy
How that builds a mind-body connection
What that connection means for your labor experience

Yoga can feel intimidating if you have never done it before --Deb shares the best ways to ease yourself into a practice that will benefit you and your baby plus help you have a smoother labor!

Follow Along with Deb:

Prenatal Yoga Center

Yoga | Birth | Babies Podcast

Instagram

More About Deb:

Deb Flashenberg (CD(DONA), LCCE, E-RYT 500, RPYT, YACEP) is the director of The Prenatal Yoga Center in NY and host of the Yoga | Birth | Babies Podcast. Drawing on her experience as a prenatal yoga teacher, labor support doula, childbirth educator and mother, Deb hopes to support the pregnant person with functional yoga asana to create a functional birth and ease into parenthood feeling empowered and honored on this sacred journey of birth and beyond.

Ep. 213: Trauma Informed Breastfeeding Support Jan 31, 2023

Show notes

HeHe sits down with Nurse Beckie to discuss:

Trauma informed breastfeeding support in the hospital
How to have your breastfeeding goals heard and respected in the hospital
How to best set yourself up for a successful breastfeeding journey

Connect with Nurse Beckie at @nursebeckie_ on Instagram or on her website at www.bestfeedinglc.com

Ep: 212: Vaginal Birth After Two Cesareans: What Does the Evidence Say? Jan 24, 2023

Show notes

Jen Kamel is the CEO and Founder of VBAC Facts® whose mission is to increase access to vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) through education, legislation, and amplifying the consumer voice. VBAC Facts® helps perinatal professionals, and cesarean parents, achieve clarity on the VBAC evidence through their educational courses, continuing education training programs, and consulting services. As an internationally recognized consumer advocate, Jen supports perinatal professionals around the world through her online professional membership, travels throughout the United States training perinatal professionals, presents Grand Rounds at hospitals, and works as a legislative consultant throughout the US focusing on midwifery legislation and regulations that threaten VBAC access. Over the years she has testified multiple times in front of the California Medical Board and legislative committees, educating legislators on the importance of VBAC access, and has served as an expert witness and consultant in legal proceedings. VBAC Facts® envisions a time when every pregnant person seeking VBAC has access to unbiased information, respectful providers, and community support so they can plan the birth of their choosing in the setting they desire.

Special Offer: 15% off courses for parents and professionals using coupon code BirthLounge at checkout. Go to vbacfacts.com/courses to enroll.

Follow along with Jen:

https://vbacfacts.com

Ep. 211: Birth Story Share from a Chosen Single Parent Dec 13, 2022

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Episode 2 of 2 with Julia Karol. Today we hear from Julia ALL about her birth! This is an amazing birth story you won't want to miss.

Julia Karol is building a family. Along the way, she is asking anyone and everyone about how they came to make the decisions they did regarding family life. She's opening up an honest, funny, raw, and earnest conversation looking at what creating a family really means and how it might show up differently than expected. Join Julia as she explores the concept of today’s modern family. Episodes feature everyday friends, family, neighbors, and experts sharing their own journey to define and create a family.

Julia's Website:

www.storkdpodcast.com

Ep. 210: The Problem with Hospital Childbirth Education Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Sit down and get cozy! This solo episode with HeHe Stewart dives into the glaring issues with in-hospital childbirth education. So before you sign up for your local hospitals class, make sure to give this one a listen!

If you are listening along with us live during the first week of December, be sure to catch The Birth Lounge while doors are open HERE!

Link mentioned in episode: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3241518/

Ep. 209: A look into a Fertility Journey to Become a Solo Parent Nov 29, 2022

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Julia's Website:

www.storkdpodcast.com