Ep. 474: Changing The Narrative with Girls Who Know® Founder Laurisa Paul

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with registered nurse, birth advocate, and Girls Who Know founder Larisa Paul for a powerful conversation about changing birth culture long before pregnancy ever begins.

After experiencing two intervention-heavy hospital births, Larisa's perspective on birth completely shifted through an unmedicated birth and later home births that showed her just how capable and intuitive our bodies can be. That journey inspired her to create Girls Who Know, an organization dedicated to helping girls grow up trusting their bodies instead of fearing them.

Together, HeHe and Larisa explore why body literacy, consent, anatomy, menstrual health, and birth education shouldn't start in adulthood... they should start in childhood. They discuss how teaching girls to understand their bodies from a young age can lay the foundation for more confident healthcare decisions, healthier relationships, and more empowered birth experiences later in life. They also talk about why boys deserve this education, too, and how raising an informed generation can help create more supportive partners, stronger families, and a healthier culture around birth.

The conversation also covers practical ways parents can encourage body confidence at home, why using anatomically correct language matters, how to normalize conversations about puberty and birth without shame, and the resources Girls Who Know offers to families, schools, and communities.

Whether you're raising daughters, sons, or simply dreaming of a future where the next generation enters pregnancy feeling informed instead of fearful, this episode is a beautiful reminder that birth education doesn't begin with a positive pregnancy test... it begins with how we teach our children to know, trust, and advocate for their bodies.

Guest Bio:

Laurisa Paul is a Registered Nurse, homebirth and midwife advocate and the founder of Girls Who Know®, an organization that inspires girls to love who they are and trust their bodies. Medically trained, Laurisa stumbled across home birth when she was actively seeking for better birth experiences. After personally giving birth in multiple settings, she shifted outside mainstream medicine and began attending homebirths as a midwife assistant. Laurisa has a deep passion for supporting women and connecting with those she loves. She resides in Texas, where she is a mother of four almost-grown sons and one delightful daughter. Laurisa and her team at Girls Who Know® are improving childbirth outcomes through the education of girls while they are young.

Connect with Laurisa: girlswhoknow.com, @officialgirlswhoknow.com,

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/

Connect with Laurisa on IG: https://www.instagram.com/officialgirlswhoknow

BIRTH EDUCATION:

Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app

LINKS MENTIONED:

Interview with Dr. Stu: https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/the-crisis-in-modern-maternity-care-dr-stu-fischbein/

Get the book, Periods and Vaginas 101: https://shop.periodnirvana.com/products/vaginas-and-periods-101-a-pop-up-book