Down to Birth
Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth and postpartum --- beyond the clichés and beyond the system. With 40 years' combined experience in midwifery, childbirth education and advocacy, publishing, research and postpartum care, we've guided thousands of families toward safer, more empowered choices. Down to Birth is all about safe childbirth, while recognizing a safe outcome isn't all that matters. We challenge the status quo, explore women's rights in childbirth, and feature women from all over the world, shining shine light on the policies, culture, and systemic forces that shape our most intimate and transformative of life experiences. You'll hear the birth stories of our clients, listeners and numerous celebrities. You'll benefit from our expert-interviews, and at any time you can submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. With millions of downloads and listeners in 90 countries, our worldwide community of parents and birth professionals coms together to learn, question and create change, personally and societally. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month. Become informed, feel empowered, and join the movement toward better maternity care in the United States and worldwide. As always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 39 minutes
- Episodes
- 337
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
#292 | The Wisdom of Our Menstrual Cycles with Lisa Hendrickson-Jack
Lisa Hendrickson-Jack is the author of The Fith Vital Sign, a book detailing normal and abnormal parameters around menstruation and fertility and what your menstrual cycle reveals about…
#291 | Discovering Down Syndrome at Birth: Lacey's Story and Her Greatest Gift
At twenty-one years old, Lacey was pregnant with her first child. She was young and healthy and expected everything to go perfectly in her labor and birth. As a result of high blood pre…
#290 | Another Off-The-Record Birth Rant with Midwife Lindsey Meehleis
You may remember midwife Lindsey Meehleis from episode #187 in our first off-the-record-style conversation. When we decide to interview Lindsay, we do so without a plan, knowing that wh…
#289 | October Q&A: Placenta Previa, Nipple Sensitivity, Home Birth Transfers, Uterine Rupture Risk, Cholestasis, Gentle Sleep Support, Caffeine
Welcome to the October Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. What's the most absurd thing that you've ever heard said to a woman in labor or to you? Today, we kick it off by sharing your anecdotes…
#288 | Roundtable: Postpartum Grief and Rage
Postpartum rage is a form of emotional upheaval that many mothers experience but seldom feel comfortable discussing. Today's episode aims to break the silence and offer a compassionate …
#287 | Lily Nichols on Fertility, Folate and Food
If there is one best place to begin when it comes to optimizing our fertility, it is with food, and who better to bring us the lowdown on what we do and don't need for fertility optimiz…
#286 | Facing Childhood Trauma Through Birth: Courtney's Story
Emotional trauma is stored in the body and can lead to a host of health issues if left unresolved. In this episode, Courtney shares her deeply personal journey of navigating the effects…
#285 | The Mother's Mind: Harnessing Peace and Calm with a Simple Meditation Practice with Kelly Smith
There are few things a mother can do with such a profound impact as meditation, yet it remains one of the hardest habits to incorporate into one's life, let alone the life of an exhaust…
#284 | September Q&A: The Midwife-Client Relationship; Ghosting Your Induction; 2-Step Delivery; Postpartum Resentment; Platypelloid Pelvis; No FER
Welcome to the September Q&A episode with Cynthia & Trisha. Today, we begin with discussing the problem of increased reliance on Google searches and googling our way to answers that req…
#283 | Breastfeeding Q&A: A 5-month Old Baby Starts to Breastfeed, Low Milk Supply, How Often To Feed in First 24-hours, Plugged Ducts & Pumping
Welcome to our second 'Breastfeeding Q&A' episode with Trisha & Cynthia. We open with an inspiring success story of a mother whose baby did not start breastfeeding for the first time un…
#282 | Escaping a Doctor Just Before His Arrest: Olivia's Story
"Hi I’m Olivia. I was a patient of Dr. Javaid Perwaiz, so, I don’t trust you." Each time Olivia met with a new medical provider, she prefaced her introduction with the above statement. …
#281 | Co-sleeping with a NICU Premie: Taylor's Birth Story at 33 weeks with an Unconsented Episiotomy
Taylor Westenberger celebrated her baby shower at 33 weeks pregnant with her first baby. Little did she know, two days later she would go into labor and give birth to a 4.5 pound baby b…
#280 | August Q&A: Crossing Boundaries, Signs of Ovulation, Navigating Finances as a SAHM, Marginal Cords, Fundal Massage, "Anorexic" Pelvis, Libido
Welcome to the August Q&A episode with Cynthia and Trisha. Today, we start by discussing various experiences in which mothers feel a visceral response to a family member, friend, or pro…
#279 | Leveling The Playing Field in Parenthood with Dan Doty of Fatherhood Ready
If you've ever felt that your husband is falling short or if you are a dad looking to be more available to your wife, this episode is for you. Today, we chat with Dan Doty, the co-found…
#278 | Inside Medical Billing: The Complexities, Ethical Concerns and Tips for Reducing Your Bill
Were you billed erroneously for your birth, or charged for something frivolous like "skin to skin contact" or "out of hospital birth"? Did you receive an exorbitant hospital bill for se…
#277 | Hyperemesis Gravidarum with HER Foundation: A Matter of Life and Death
Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG) is not morning sickness, but rather a potentially life-threatening complication of pregnancy that may cause weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, disabilit…
#276 | July Q&A: Twins & Induction, Faith-Based Midwives, Weight Gain, Low Progesterone, TDAP, Botox, Hemorrhoids, Weight Gain
Welcome back to the July Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. Today we kick off the episode with one mother's story of her transition from OB to midwife to an unintentional free birth her 9 pound…
#275 | How to Interview Your Pediatrician with Dr. Joel Gator Warsh
Dr. Joel Gator Warsh is a classically trained integrative pediatrician with a holistic health practice in California. His approach to care puts parents at the center of the decision-mak…
#274 | Myofunctional Therapy: How To Assess and Help Your Baby
The importance of healthy oral function is essential not only for infant feeding but also for a person's entire life. Poorly shaped palates, low resting tongue posture, restricted tongu…
#273 | Special Q&A Featuring Nancy Wainer on VBAC and More
In last week's episode (#272) you met legendary midwife-author Nancy Wainer. Well she's back today for Part II, where she joins us in a Q&A-style episode to answer our listeners' questi…