#413: Rediscovering Ancient Postpartum Traditions: Pelvic Steaming with Valerie Wiesner

The Down to Birth Podcast team, Cynthia Overgard & Trisha Ludwig, join Blyss and Dr. Stu to talk about red flags when seeking a practitioner so you can feel empowered to make the best choice for your pregnancy and birthing experience. They also discuss a high-profile mom’s birthing story, unpacking the hospital tyranny she experienced and her call for change.

28 Syys 20221h 21min

In today's podcast, Blyss & Dr. Stu share wisdom through stories of loss and wonder. Blyss vulnerably and openly shares about the death of her daughter and the ways her unimaginable loss has deepened her ability to hold space for others. This episode is filled with the joy, beauty, trauma, and pain that comes with birth work, and ultimately, life.

20 Syys 20221h 19min

After sharing a couple of listener stories, Dr. Stu and Blyss unpack Dr. Sara Wickham’s book on Anti-D, RhoGAM, and Rh factor. They dive into the implications of routinely giving RhoGAM to all Rh-positive pregnant women, and how there is a lack of research trials and data on RhoGAM. You may get aggravated, you may get p*ssed, but as always, Dr. Stu and Blyss are here to provide informed consent and empower you to choose what’s best for your family.

14 Syys 20221h 6min

Given that modern medicine is more akin to a hamster wheel void of intuition than an industry that’s committed to learning and designed to help people, the thought of battling it can quickly become overwhelming. Today, Dr. Stu & Blyss continue to critique policy-makers, as well as pop-culture’s latest depiction of breech birth. The balance is restored by some incredibly uplifting birth stories from listeners that remind us that it is indeed possible to make a difference in this world, one birth at a time. Dr. Stu also shares some recent studies about herpes during pregnancy and makes his latest recommendations for mothers with the virus.

7 Syys 20221h 15min

Today on the show, Dr. Stu and Blyss are joined by their former patient and good friend, Desiree Doan. Desiree shares the details of all three of her birth stories: A hospital transfer, a successful VBAC, and how she navigated placenta accreta spectrum or, as Desi says, “That time my placenta went wild!”. Her story of self-advocacy is both awe-inspiring and informative…It’s amazing what a determined baby and mother are capable of accomplishing.

31 Elo 20221h 19min

Blyss and Stu host Julie Hewett, a Clinical Psychologist and mother of two based in Santa Monica. Julie is passionate about helping people who have felt silenced to empower their voices to be heard. This took on very personal meaning to her this past year, when she struggled with a fear-based medical system, to deliver her breech baby on her own terms. Blyss, Stu and Julie share their sympathies for those subjected to the broken medical system and strive to empower patients to demand the care they deserve.

24 Elo 20221h 21min

In today’s episode, Dr. Stu and Blyss get fed up after more listener letters continue to demonstrate the pervasiveness of medical professionals gaslighting their clients. On the contrary, one woman’s successful VBAC ripples through her community and empowers its women. The two also comment on the ethics of censorship and the importance of speaking your truth.

17 Elo 20221h 9min

Today on the show, Dr. Stu and Blyss chat with documentary filmmakers, Ricki Lake & Abby Epstein. The two share their wisdom and passion in a timeless discussion about two of their most prominent documentaries, The Business of Being Born & Business of Birth Control. Although the former was released in 2008, many of the themes within the film still ring true today. Recognizing that younger generations are more conscious about what they put into their bodies, and that they often question the motives of the medical establishment, Ricki and Abby feel poised that the impact of their work will sustain for years to come.

10 Elo 20221h 12min