Birth Matters
Lisa Taylor - Birth Matters NYC Childbirth Education & Labor Support
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Top 10 Birth Matters Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Birth Matters episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Birth Matters for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Birth Matters episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
84: Self-Advocacy When Being Gaslighted
Birth Matters
05/17/22 • 61 min
When Becky and her transgender husband decide to grow their family, it’s a long, winding road to meeting their baby. First step: make very careful adjustments to her depression & anxiety meds in order to conceive as safely as possible. Next step: the tedious process of seeking out a sperm donor. Then they had to go through 7 emotional rounds of IUI and finally IVF before they could even start a viable pregnancy. Today Becky shares all of those details plus her baby’s birth story, which starts with contractions in the middle of the night, being told she’s not actually in labor when she clearly was, augmenting with pitocin, Becky advocating to have her preferences be honored, and an otherwise fairly uncomplicated birth. She also shares a bit about her breastfeeding journey and how postpartum anxiety started around 3 months out from birth when baby went on a nursing strike.
Please always curate for yourself which episodes you feel will build your confidence and not your anxiety. This is one of the more challenging stories in that Becky was the unfortunate recipient of patient gaslighting, which could be upsetting or triggering for some listeners. However, you’ll hear how smartly Becky advocates for her voice to be heard and her preferences to be respected, so this is one reason we feel this story could be very useful for expectant parents to hear.
If you do choose to skip the story, I highly recommend tuning in to the teaching portion at the end because I’ll go over some simple but powerful self-advocacy strategies that are a glimpse of what you’ll also learn if you come to birth class.
Show notes at birthmattersshow.com
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111: A Pediatric ICU Nurse’s 3rd Preemie
Birth Matters
04/14/24 • 79 min
Ellen, who shared her first two babies’ birth stories in Episode 26, returns to share her son’s preterm birth story following a relocation from NYC to California where they are now homesteaders growing toward self-sustainability. She had wanted an unmedicated birth with midwives, but due to her history of two premature births, she stays with a high-risk OB who provides midwife-like, compassionate care. At the 20-week scan, Ellen learns their son has a cleft lip, like his dad. Despite this, he ends up being the only one of the 3 for whom breastfeeding comes easily. Ellen lays low and stays pregnant a bit longer than with her daughters, and despite her son being born a preemie, he doesn’t need the NICU after birth. She shares how much she struggled in the first month, despite all her preparation for and support in the postpartum period. The details of Ellen’s story drive home the importance of being quick to speak up if you’re ever not okay in the journey into parenthood. And stay tuned for some mental health resources that may be a lifeline for anyone who might be struggling; those will be shared in the commentary after Ellen shares her story.
05/19/25 • 55 min
In this episode, Lisa reconnects with Ann Morris—doula, childbirth educator, and mother of two—to hear the powerful story of her second birth: a planned home birth after a positive hospital experience. Ann shares why she chose midwifery care, how her husband became her “moula,” and how she prepped mentally and physically for a peaceful, water birth at home. From laborade popsicles to postpartum healing and navigating breastfeeding challenges, Ann offers practical tips and emotional insight into birth, motherhood, and trusting your intuition. A must-listen for anyone planning a home birth, considering birth work, or seeking inspiration for informed, empowered choices. If you haven’t heard her first birth story, you can listen to that way back in Episode 25.
03/14/25 • 64 min
Today, Donna shares her transformative journey from a first birth experience via C-section to achieving a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) with her second child. She describes her extensive preparations, the critical role of her doula, and the stark differences between her two birth experiences. From facing prodromal labor to making informed choices like hiring a supportive healthcare team and deciding on an epidural, Donna relives the emotional and physical steps that led to her ultimately pulling her own baby onto her chest. Her story highlights the importance of preparation, support, and empowerment in achieving the birth you envision, which has been a theme in many of our stories, if you’ve been listening here for a while.
05/12/20 • 78 min
Today, we continue our cesarean birth stories series; this episode begins a 2-parter and grand finale to the series. You’re in for an EPIC birth warrior story that goes in all kinds of unexpected directions told by Sarah and Chris. Quite honestly, this story feels like several birth stories wrapped into one. Sarah & Chris share their story of a very long, planned home birth that eventually transfers to the hospital and after DAYS of labor (literally, days) ultimately, Sarah gives birth via c-section after her waters have been ruptured for 90+hours. Get ready for a taste of how unknowable and unpredictable birth can be, and listen to the amazingly positive attitude this couple has through it and on the other side of it. These episodes provide a poignant lesson in how important mindset and flexibility are, keeping in mind it’s your baby’s birth, not yours, choosing a great birth team that hears you and gives you choices, among many other valuable lessons. Even if birth doesn’t go “as planned”--which it hardly ever does, but this one goes off-plan in almost every possible way!--Sarah & Chris share strategies for averting feelings of trauma and for, instead, still feeling good about the birth.
11/10/20 • 61 min
In today’s episode, Toni & Peter share their firstborn’s birth story only about 6 weeks after the big day. Originally they had hoped for a completely unmedicated birth. They share how, as they approached and passed the due date, they tried everything under the sun to go into labor spontaneously, to no effect. The unexpected development of needing induction just after 40 weeks due to developing borderline preeclampsia then required some adjusted expectations. You’ll hear how strong self-advocacy techniques were game-changers that Toni & Peter used to delay and, ultimately, avoid using pitocin for labor. They also share how their doula and Peter set up the hospital room in a way that was both meditative and celebratory, including the use of battery-operated candles, aromatherapy, music, and even a hand drum and dancing. As a psychotherapist who specializes in meditation and mindfulness, Toni details how she used those skills and tools to have an almost completely unmedicated, quick 5-hour induced labor in which she pushes the baby out in only 4 pushes. In light of the fact that most inductions are expected to take, on average, 24 hours, and even spontaneous first-time labors take 18 hours on average, this was doubly fast and efficient. Toni gives a couple of insights and recommendations to listeners for early breastfeeding, and they both reflect on the moment of meeting their daughter as well as the monumental transition into parenthood.
02/20/25 • 68 min
In this episode, Rachel, a mother of three boys, a doula, and a passionate advocate for maternal health shares her transformative journey through her three pregnancies and births. She details the challenges of her first traumatic C-section, the struggle and acceptance of her second scheduled C-section, and then her victorious vaginal birth after 2 cesareans with her third baby. We discuss the systemic biases and disparities in healthcare, particularly for Black birthing people, and the importance of trusting one's intuition and seeking supportive providers. Rachel's experience led her to become a doula and an advocate, where she continues to support and educate families. This episode is a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the critical need for improved maternal health practices.
08/18/24 • 65 min
Today we welcome new mom, Chantal. Previously diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome, Chantal expected getting pregnant to take a while, so getting pregnant on the first try came as a surprise. On the heels of completing birth class and having a marathon of 3 baby showers, another surprise happens when Chantal’s water breaks prematurely at 35 weeks. When she arrives at the hospital, she learns her hospital has a free doula program, and she gets great support from her assigned doula, alongside her husband. After giving birth prematurely, she faces the emotional rollercoaster of a brief NICU stay for their son. Listen as Chantal navigates the intricacies of early postpartum, breastfeeding challenges, and the invaluable support from her community and medical team. Her story embodies resilience, community, and immense love for her newborn son.
12/15/20 • 80 min
Almost 2 years after her daughter was born, and following a cross-country move closer to family in California, Kirtan shares the details of her firstborn’s birth. She has an unusually quick, 6-hour unmedicated labor and arrives at the hospital just in time to push, similarly to Simone a couple of episodes ago, in Episode 47. Kirtan will then share quite a bit about her struggles with breastfeeding, including experiencing a painful letdown as well as anxiety she experienced surrounding not only breastfeeding but also in introducing solids. As a bonus, you’ll hear about an intentional ritual her husband, Brendan, initiated for both parents to get good chunks of sleep in the early weeks -- one that supported healthy nursing rhythms. Second bonus: an entertaining story on Kirtan pumping on a subway home from work!
73: Feeling Heard When Birth Doesn’t Go as Planned
Birth Matters
03/01/22 • 77 min
Today’s season 3 premiere episode shares a birth story with birth class students and podcast listeners, Lucy & Cam. They share how Lucy had hoped for a physiological birth and how surprised she was in coming to the U.S. from the UK that midwifery isn’t the default standard of care. As she goes through her pregnancy working with an OB, over time she realizes she’d prefer more patient-centered care so she switches from OB care to a hospital midwifery practice. Once she has something to compare to, she breathes a huge sigh of relief and feels like she’s found someone she can totally trust to hear and respect her birth choices and not intervene unnecessarily. When Lucy’s told she needs to go to the hospital immediately to be induced for low fluids at 41 weeks, it becomes clear things won’t fully go as she had hoped. However, you’ll hear Lucy share how it was still a positive, empowering experience overall because of her careful choice of a care provider with whom she felt truly aligned and who helped her discern each step of the way when interventions were truly medically indicated.
Show notes at birthmattersshow.com
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FAQ
How many episodes does Birth Matters have?
Birth Matters currently has 128 episodes available.
What topics does Birth Matters cover?
The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Parenting, Labor, Fertility, Baby, Pregnancy, Doula, How To, Midwife, Podcasts, Education and Birth.
What is the most popular episode on Birth Matters?
The episode title '84: Self-Advocacy When Being Gaslighted' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Birth Matters?
The average episode length on Birth Matters is 67 minutes.
How often are episodes of Birth Matters released?
Episodes of Birth Matters are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Birth Matters?
The first episode of Birth Matters was released on Sep 6, 2019.
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