Podcasts by Birth Matters

107: 3 Transformative Births, Pt 2: Empowering VBAC&Express Homebirth from 2023-08-30T16:00

In this 2nd episode of a 2-parter, Kaitlin shares her 2nd and 3rd babies’ birth stories. After having a traumatic first birth, Kaitlin finds her voice and makes every effort to help things go di...

106: 3 Transformative Births, Pt 1: Traumatic Induction to Cesarean from 2023-08-14T13:00

Today’s story is the 1st episode of a 2-parter. In it, the founder of Be Her Village, a baby registry that provides a way to give the gift of support instead of far less important baby gear, sha...

105: Body Confidence Reclaimed in 2nd Birth from 2023-08-04T22:00

Melissa had her first baby as a teen but second baby 15 years later with a different partner and with an early pregnancy loss in between. Each journey was very different, and she shares in today...

104: An Endurance Athlete's Desire for an Unmedicated Birth (Part 2) from 2023-07-31T16:00

In part 2 of this 2-episode birth story, Jessica shares the rest of her unmedicated birth story with midwives in an NYC hospital. She details the contrast of her very positive birth experience t...

103: An Endurance Athlete's Desire for an Unmedicated Birth (Part 1) from 2023-07-22T22:00

Jessica learned about midwives and doulas in a college class, which planted the seed for her desire once becoming pregnant for an unmedicated birth. As a runner, she made connections between how...

102: Proactive Steps for Unmedicated Hospital Birth from 2023-06-21T19:00

Bettina prides herself on being a thorough researcher. She carries that into pregnancy and  interviews 6 doulas before choosing one, switches from an OB to midwifery care when she doesn’t feel a...

101: No Rush to Hospital When Water Breaks for Empowering Birth from 2023-05-15T21:00

Following an early pregnancy scare, Taylor proceeds to have a healthy pregnancy. Feeling frustrated when she passes her due date and isn’t showing much change toward going into labor, Taylor tri...

100: When Baby Prefers Car Over Waterbirth from 2023-04-10T22:00

Sierra envisioned a waterbirth for her baby, but was disheartened to find it’s hard to find a birthing location where that’s possible and also hard to find birthing center options in NYC. With t...

99: Strong Circle of Support for Unmedicated Birth&Beyond from 2023-03-31T21:00

Despite the fact that EmJ has always had a self-professed low pain tolerance, she finds instinctive coping mechanisms that work for her to have the unmedicated birth that she had hoped to have i...

98: Belly Birth for Breech with Bicornuate Uterus from 2023-03-11T16:00

As a teenager, Crystal learned she has a bicornuate uterus which significantly affected her menstrual cycle. So it’s no small miracle years later when she conceives naturally twice after being t...

97: Signing an AMA to Labor at Home Despite Anxiety from 2023-02-28T21:00

Cally’s hopes were high for an unmedicated birth. She gets thrown a curve ball when her membranes rupture as the first sign of labor. Knowing that an important strategy for a healthy birth is to...

96: A Pelvic PT Delays Induction from 2022-12-13T01:00

As a doctor of physical therapy specializing in pelvic health, Nidhi is quite well-informed during her pregnancy, and had hoped to have an unmedicated birth with limited or no interventions. As ...

95: A Jewish Doula's 2nd&3rd Unmedicated Hospital Births from 2022-11-18T01:00

In today’s episode, Jewish doula and mental health therapist Chana Diamond returns to share her 2nd and 3rd babies’ birth stories. She shares the details of two more unmedicated, uncomplicated v...

94: When Prep&Advocacy Pay Off from 2022-10-31T00:00

Millennials & die-hard Queens natives Suzanne & Edgar share the many smart things they did to prepare for the journey into parenthood and in hopes of having a healthy pregnancy & unm...

93: Empowered Induction for Preeclampsia from 2022-10-13T00:00

Hallie and Eric had a long 3-year journey to conceive their son. Along the way, previously undiagnosed conditions PCOS and Hashimoto’s are identified. Hallie eventually decides to seek out compl...

92: A NYC Dancer’s Homebirth from 2022-09-28T00:00

Whenever Hannah tried to reconcile her background as a professional dancer with the idea of pregnancy and birth, it felt like the two were incompatible. Yet when she does get pregnant, she finds...

91: Arriving at Hospital Just in Time to Push from 2022-08-31T00:00

Kelly eagerly educated herself and prepared for giving birth in all the ways – prenatal yoga, hiring doulas and a midwife, taking birth class, strategic nutrition, acupuncture, seeing a pelvic f...

90: A Runner’s Fast Labor from 2022-08-18T00:00

Kaley did everything she could to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle throughout her pregnancy. She continued her running habit, then around 20 weeks she needed to shift to swimming and also di...

89: Loving Laboring at Home Too Much from 2022-08-04T00:00

Mara & Dylan did lots of great prep for birth in pregnancy – acupuncture, massage, birth class, hiring a doula, yoga, and more. Having heard her stepmom share how beautiful her own home birt...

88: An Aussie’s 2nd Unmedicated Hospital Birth from 2022-07-19T00:00

Lauren’s first time giving birth was pre-pandemic in Australia in a very different healthcare system. So when she and her husband Shaun relocated to the NYC area to suburban New Jersey and wante...

87: In Labor at a Seder from 2022-07-12T00:00

Jewish doula and mental health therapist Chana decides to get off medications for depression and anxiety during her pregnancy. This results in a recurrence of both, including pretty severe insom...

86: Managing Anxiety with Birth Team Choices from 2022-07-05T00:00

Michelle knew all of her life that she experiences medical anxiety and convulsive syncope. So, when she started thinking about her deep desire to grow a family, she started educating herself and...

85: Will Early Labor Ever End? from 2022-06-28T00:00

When Brooklynites Megan & Ted decide to try to get pregnant around the beginning of the pandemic, they’re surprised to conceive immediately. After seeing an OB and desiring less rushed time ...

84: Self-Advocacy When Being Gaslighted from 2022-05-17T00:00

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 med...

83: Precipitous Pushing: A Doula’s Quick Thinking from 2022-05-10T00:00

As a person working in both the wellness and fashion fields, Nadia had intentionally pursued a healthy, fit lifestyle with an active meditation and breathwork practice. However, she discovered s...

82: An Afro-Caribbean Psychotherapist’s Homebirth from 2022-05-03T00:00

Today, Bronx-based Dominican couple, Ana Rosario & Josmar Rojas, share their son’s uncomplicated homebirth story. Ana’s background as a social worker had opened her eyes to the challenges Bl...

81: Breech Belly Birth&Embracing Your Weird from 2022-04-26T00:00

Liza & Jon are surprised when they conceive much more quickly than expected. Toward the end of an uneventful, happy pregnancy, they learn their son is breech. They try almost everything to g...

80: A Rainbow Breech Baby’s Belly Birth from 2022-04-19T00:00

After Amber experienced both a pregnancy loss and subsequent challenges conceiving a second time, she and her husband eventually conceive their rainbow baby on the first try with IUI. At 18 week...

79: Baby Debuts Early to Beat the Pandemic from 2022-04-12T00:00

Today, Joanna & Tony share their son Felix’s birth story. They were due after the Covid shutdown in NYC but, fortuitously, gave birth just shy of 37 weeks shortly before the shutdown. They s...

78: A Pelvic PT’s Curve Balls in Pushing from 2022-04-05T00:00

As a pelvic PT, Helene started off pregnancy with unique and applicable skills that informed her decision to pursue an unmedicated delivery in a hospital. She shares about the various things tha...

77: Transferring Care for a Peaceful Homebirth from 2022-03-29T00:00

Jaymie started off her pregnancy under OB care but came to realize that the medical setting wasn’t the right choice for her birth, so she transferred her care to a home birth midwifery team. She...

76: When Your Mom is an L&D Nurse from 2022-03-22T00:00

Astoria resident Eileen chose her birth place on Long Island because it was where her Labor & Delivery nurse mother works and had relationships that would lend themselves to things going as ...

75: Daddy, Catch the Baby on the Sidewalk! from 2022-03-15T00:00

Lisa and Clint share the details of their unexpectedly fast first labor experience that results in Clint catching their baby on the sidewalk right outside Weill Cornell hospital in Manhattan in ...

74: A NYC Doula's Home VBAC after Cesarean for Breech from 2022-03-08T00:00

Sophia’s first birth was a planned homebirth that needed to transfer to the hospital for a cesarean due to baby’s position. Today she shares how she was determined to try for a vaginal birth aft...

73: Feeling Heard When Birth Doesn’t Go as Planned from 2022-03-01T00:00

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 ...

72: Gratitude Through a Well-Supported Hospital Induction from 2021-05-25T00:00

In this final episode of Season 2, we'll hear a theme of gratitude. Laura communicates lots of it in today’s birth story as she shares the story of a well-supported metamorphosis into mothe...

71: A Dancer-Trainer’s Waterbirth&Pelvic Recovery from 2021-05-18T00:00

When Evelyn & James conceive their baby, they have no idea they’ll be giving birth during a pandemic. As a dancer and trainer, she even keeps touring for a while with her dance company and t...

70: Low-Income Folks Deserve Homebirths, Too! from 2021-05-11T00:00

Scharisse felt like she was getting lackluster care in her pregnancy at a hospital under Medicaid but thought she just had to deal. She was being told she should just schedule a cesarean because...

69: Postpartum Anxiety After a Great Birth from 2021-05-04T00:00

Actor-singer Aimée discovers she’s pregnant right after her and her husband’s honeymoon, which they returned from just before the pandemic shutdown and experiences both a healthy pregnancy but a...

68: Care Choices Calm When Complications Come from 2021-04-27T00:00

Sasha planned to give birth with a midwife and developed a birth plan for a peaceful, unmedicated birth. Some of her plans necessarily go out the window when, at 37 weeks Sasha is diagnosed with...

67: A Rainbow Baby’s Unmedicated Birth from 2021-04-20T00:00

Today Emily shares her two pregnancy stories and a birth story. First, she describes experiencing pregnancy loss at 11 weeks. It surprises her when the grief was longer-lasting and more complex ...

66: An Opera Singer’s 2 Hypnobirths from 2021-04-13T00:00

So it was a very stressful situation to be sent to the hospital and be told if you can't get your blood pressure down, you're being induced today. It's sort of the worst thing you...

65: Grief in Growing a Family from 2021-04-06T00:00

What happens when you grow your family from an only child to two children? Today Danuta & Jacek share two birth stories -- one hospital birth with an obstetrician and one birthing center bir...

64: Non-Linear Grief: A Brooklyn Homebirth from 2021-03-30T00:00

Today Sarah & Steve share their daughter Molly’s birth story as a special way to celebrate and honor her on her 13th birthday, which is the day this story is airing. It’s a story of an unmed...

63: A Black Birth Pro’s Fast 2nd Birth at Home&Tongue Tie from 2021-03-23T00:00

Today Simone Toomer joins us again to share her second baby’s birth story. Simone is a Black perinatal professional who serves birthing folks and families in a number of capacities, but at this ...

62: A Wellness Practitioner’s Early Induction for HELLP Syndrome from 2021-03-16T00:00

What happens when you’ve planned a peaceful, undisturbed birthing center birth but are diagnosed at 37 weeks with a rare form of preeclampsia called HELLP Syndrome? Jennifer shares how this unex...

61: [TTC] A Lesbian Couple's Overlapping IVF Pregnancies from 2021-03-09T00:00

 In this last episode in our fertility journey series, we share a fertility journey story (2, actually), that may be particularly useful for folks who identify as queer and who are on the TTC pa...

60: [TTC] The Fifth Vital Sign: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack on FAM from 2021-03-02T00:00

In today’s episode, fertility coach Lisa Hendrickson-Jack joins us to explain how the fertility awareness method can be used for the TTC fertility journey as well as for postpartum and lifelong ...

59: [TTC] Reframing a Challenging Vaginal Birth from 2021-02-23T00:00

We’re nearing the end of our fertility journey series before we return to birth stories; this week we have a bit of both. 

In the last couple of weeks of Jenn’s pregnancy and with the dead...

58: [TTC] Fertility Warrior Jasmine Katatikarn on The Artist Mindset to the Fertility Journey (Ep. 58) from 2021-02-16T00:00

Today you’ll hear the story of fertility warrior Jasmine Katatikarn, who struggled to have a child for six years. After multiple IUIs and her 2nd IVF, she was told that she had a less than 1% ch...

57: [TTC] IVF for Unexplained Infertility from 2021-02-09T00:00

***Trigger alert: pregnancy loss is mentioned/described in this episode.***

Early in the podcast’s first season, in episode 5, Julie shared her baby’s birth story. She returns today to ...

56: [TTC] Fertility doula&2 IVF birth stories (Pt 2) from 2021-02-02T00:00

Today we continue our fertility journey series and share the second part of fertility doula Alison Wehr’s 2 IVF and birth stories. Alison’s second path to conception was a smoother one; today sh...

55: [TTC] Fertility Doula&2 IVF Birth Stories (Pt 1) from 2021-01-26T00:00

Today, we continue our fertility journey series. In this and next week's episode, birth and fertility doula Alison Wehr shares the story of her two babies’ IVF conception and birth stories....

54: [TTC] Life and Loss: Shared by a Black Full Spectrum Doula from 2021-01-19T00:00

Today, Marise Angibeau-Gray, a Black mother and full-spectrum doula, shares the story of 3 pregnancy losses -- one in each trimester -- that led up to her 4th baby’s birth story. (Please note th...

53: [TTC] 2nd IVF with frozen embryo, Homebirth Transfer (Pt 2) from 2021-01-12T00:00

Today is part 2 of the birth story that we started last week with Adriane Stare, so if you didn’t listen last week, be sure to listen to that first. To review, this is Adriane’s 2nd IVF and birt...

52: [TTC] 2nd IVF with frozen embryo, Homebirth Transfer (Pt 1) from 2021-01-05T00:00

In today’s episode, we kick off our fertility journey series as postpartum doula and babywearing educator Adriane Stare, who shared her first baby’s conception and birth story in Episode 40, ret...

51: Unexpected Early Induction for Lack of Fetal Movement from 2020-12-29T00:00

When Erin shows up for her weekly prenatal appointment around 37 weeks without her partner due to Covid restrictions, she is caught by surprise when she’s told an immediate induction is necessar...

50: Surprised an Un-Scary Birth: Unfounded Fears from 2020-12-22T00:00

Today’s birth story was one that took place back in May in the first couple of months of the pandemic in a Manhattan hospital, and it was recorded mid-June. Alissa initially hired a doula to hel...

49: Arriving Just in Time to Push&Pumping on a Train from 2020-12-15T00:00

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-h...

48: 3 Birth Stories from 1 Mama from 2020-12-08T00:00

Today’s episode is the first time for this podcast to have one mother on the show to share all three of her babies’ birth stories. As a mom of 3, you’ll see how efficiently Traci shares her stor...

47: A Black Lactation Counselor’s Fast 1st Hospital Birth from 2020-12-01T00:00

Today, we’re excited to have a local colleague on the show to share her first baby’s birth story. Simone Toomer is a Brooklyn-based Black mother of two as well as a perinatal professional who we...

46: Sorry, House Hunters, My Water Broke! from 2020-11-24T00:00

Today, Mila & Shawn share their baby’s pre-pandemic, premature birth story. In the weeks leading up to Mila’s labor, the couple had been chosen to be on the tv show HOUSE HUNTERS. However, M...

45: Birth Team Story Circle: Optimal Support, Unmedicated Hospital Birth from 2020-11-17T01:00

For the first time on this podcast, an almost-complete birth team is joining us today for a birth circle of sorts. Kelsey shares her firstborn’s story, with her midwife, Jenna Sood & her dou...

44: A Psychotherapist's Strategies for Quick Induction w/o Pain Meds from 2020-11-10T01:00

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 th...

43: A Black Mom's Care Team Choices for Baby's Cleft Diagnosis from 2020-11-03T01:00

Today you’ll hear a story shared by Amayra, a black woman living in NYC who initially planned to give birth at home due to her knowledge about the poor outcomes for black birthing folks in hospi...

42: A NYC midwife's quick first labor from 2020-10-27T01:00

Today we're excited to have a wonderful NYC midwife, Elaine Keller-Duemig, on the show. 

Elaine was the care provider in last episode's 2 birth stories and, in this episode, s...

41: Two Induced Births with Hospital Midwives from 2020-10-20T01:00

In this episode, Yuliya shares both of her babies’ birth stories. She explains how she made the intentional choice of working with a practice of in-hospital midwives as well as hired a doula for...

40: [TTC] IVF with Donor Sperm to Homebirth from 2020-10-13T01:00

Adriane shares her very unusual fertility journey story as well as her distinctive choice to, following IVF, give birth to her first baby at home. Adriane is not only a mom of two, but is also a...

38: [BIRTH] An Epic-Length Labor, Homebirth to Cesarean (Part 2) from 2020-05-18T22:00

Today, we continue our cesarean birth stories series; this episode completes a 2-part story and is the grand finale to the series. We continue this EPIC birth warrior story that goes in all kind...

37: [BIRTH] An Epic-Length Labor, Homebirth to Cesarean (Part 1) from 2020-05-12T00:00

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 unexpecte...

36: [BIRTH] Induction for Cholestasis to Cesarean Birth for Fetal Distress from 2020-05-04T23:00

In today’s episode, we return to our cesarean birth stories that were scheduled for last month’s Cesarean Awareness Month following our 3-week detour to share birth stories taking place during t...

35: [BIRTH] Birth During Covid-19: Want Partner? Hurry, Induce! from 2020-04-28T01:00

Just before their due date, Sarah & Spencer receive an urgent call from their obstetrician saying they need to be induced immediately if they want Spencer to allowed to support Sarah in labo...

34: [BIRTH] Birth During Covid-19: Advocacy for Partner Support from 2020-04-21T01:00

Amidst the growing Covid-19 pandemic and stay at home orders, Natalie & Jackson share the stress they experienced late in her 3rd trimester when they learn that their hospital is no longer a...

33: [BIRTH] Virtual Doula Support in the Covid-19 Pandemic from 2020-04-14T01:00

When the Covid-19 pandemic starts getting real in March, Jackie & Michael try everything they can near their due date to help labor to start when their doctor wouldn't agree to induce u...

32: [BIRTH] Trying to Change OBs for Vaginal Breech from 2020-04-07T01:00

In today’s episode, Christine learns in her 33rd week of pregnancy that her baby has flipped to breech, or heads up, position. She scrambles to change care providers in hopes of having closer to...

31: A Parent's Cancer Diagnosis During Pregnancy&Postpartum Anxiety from 2020-03-31T01:00

 A few days before celebrating their daughter’s first birthday, Nissa & Brit share the story of an unexpectedly quick first labor with the support of a doula. You'll hear about how a pr...

30: Delaying Induction: Self-Advocacy Strategies from 2020-03-24T01:00

Today, Birth Matters alums Jess & Rich share the story of their firstborn son’s birth. Jess explains how super-prepared she was, reading up on everything she could get her hands on, hiring a...

29: Yoda-Quoting Nurse Helps Support Induction w/o Pain Meds from 2020-03-17T01:00

Today, Alicia shares details about her hospital induction, which she was able to manage without pain medications. Before she gets into that, she talks about the various ways she equipped herself...

28: A Prenatal Yoga Teacher’s Unmedicated Hospital Birth on Long Island from 2020-03-10T01:00

In today's story, Nicole shares about an unexpectedly brief, 6-hour, unmedicated first labor in a Long Island hospital with midwives and with the support of her husband and a doula. Before ...

27: Induction w/o Pain Meds for Autoimmune Condition Sjogren’s from 2020-03-03T01:00

Today, Desire shares her son’s birth story just a few weeks after the birth, which was a 3-day long hospital induction at Forest Hills Hospital in Queens. She was determined to do it without pai...

26: [BIRTH] A Pediatric Nurse's 2 Preemie Births with Hospital Midwives from 2020-02-25T01:00

Today Ellen shares the birth stories of her two daughters, who were both born prematurely. We discuss the benefits of midwifery care and why Ellen chose midwives for both of her births, as well ...

25: [BIRTH] 911 to Hospital for Unmedicated Birth Inspires Doula Work from 2020-02-18T01:00

In today’s episode, Ann shares details of her experience giving birth for the first time. Her labor progresses more quickly than most first labors, and she explains how they called an ambulance ...

24: [BIRTH] An Attorney's Hospital Induction w/o Pain Meds, with doula support from 2020-02-11T01:00

Today, Stephanie, who’s an attorney for an organization called Protect Democracy, shares the story of her daughter Kimathi’s birth, which was an induced labor that Stephanie was able to move thr...

23: [BIRTH] A Healing, Unmedicated 2nd Birth with Uber Pool, Ferry, Subways, Trader Joe's&a Chapel from 2020-02-04T01:00

Today Kate & AJ, the dear friends whom Dee & Sam mentioned meeting in birth class in the past couple of episodes, share their 2nd daughter’s birth story. Following a challenging first bi...

22: [BIRTH] Induced 2nd Premature Hospital Birth w/o Pain Meds (Part 2) from 2020-01-28T01:00

Today we have part 2 of Dee’s & Sam’s 2 birth stories. They’ll share about an even more premature birth of their second daughter, Luna. Due to the identification of an intra-uterine hemorrha...

21: [BIRTH] Pre-term Labor During Girlfriend Time While Dad's Away (Part 1) from 2020-01-21T01:00

For today's and next week’s episodes, we have another 2-parter for you as Dee & Sam share their two daughters’ preemie birth stories. You’ll hear these two soulful parents share some pr...

20: [BIRTH] Unmedicated hospital birth after 3rd Tri Move to Georgia from 2020-01-14T01:00

Today, Meredith & Thomas share their story of an uncomplicated, unmedicated vaginal birth in Atlanta, Georgia. Hear these 5-week old parents give tips for moving during pregnancy as they des...

19: [BIRTH] NYC Model&Wellness Coach's Unmedicated Birth in Maryland from 2020-01-07T01:00

Today we welcome to the show a Birth Matters alum and professional model, Lauren Deckert, to share her birth story. Lauren’s work as a model has been featured in Harpers Bazaar China, Vogue Ital...

18: [BIRTH] Cesarean for Breech&HELLP Syndrome from 2019-12-31T01:00

Today, Emily & Paul share the story of how their “spirited” son was in breech position, or head up, and how the many proactive things they tried to encourage him to flip didn’t work. Because...

17: [BIRTH] A Grumpy Scotsman's Hospital Birth from 2019-12-24T01:00

Today, Birth Matters alums Liz & Matt will share the details of what they call their “grumpy old Scotsman” son’s uncomplicated birth at Manhattan’s New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell. Liz w...

16: [BIRTH] Home Birth in the"Upside Down"for 2nd-timer Inspires Doula Work from 2019-12-17T01:00

Want to hear a birth story in which an almost 10-pound baby boy is born safe and sound at home after 22 hours of labor? Ready or not, that’s what you'll hear today! Hear all about Alishia’s...

15: [BIRTH] Induction for Cholestasis with Doula Support in 1st birth, Switch to Midwife for 2nd from 2019-12-10T01:00

Today you get a 2-for-1 -- 2 birth stories from one mama. Melissa has an almost 3-year-old, Segovia, and a 6-week old, Adelina. She shares her first 1st birth story, which was an unusually quick...

14: [BIRTH] A NYC Actor's Vocal Work in Birth from 2019-12-03T01:00

In today's birth story, Amy's labor begins with a spontaneous rupture of the membranes, laboring at home for a number of hours, eventually transferring to the hospital where the labor ...

13: [BIRTH] Clubfoot Diagnosis&Early Induction (Pt 2) from 2019-11-26T01:00

Today’s birth story, which is the 2nd part of two consecutive episodes, will be especially helpful for expectant parents whose baby gets a clubfoot diagnosis. Joe & Beckie share their journe...

12: [BIRTH] Clubfoot Diagnosis&Early Induction (Pt 1) from 2019-11-19T01:00

Today’s birth story, which will be broken up into two consecutive episodes, will be especially helpful for expectant parents whose baby gets a clubfoot diagnosis. Joe & Beckie share their jo...

11: [BIRTH] Self-Advocacy in Induced Birth&Breastfeeding from 2019-11-12T01:00

Jennifer shares her story of an IVF-conceived pregnancy in which more than one doctor suggested scheduling a cesarean due to the size of her baby. She shares about her journey toward the decisio...

10: [BIRTH] Singing Baby Down with a Midwife from 2019-11-05T01:00

This episode will be the shortest interview we’ve shared thus far. In this birth story, Dara describes her experience of giving birth as “magical & frustrating”. This is the story of a first...

9: [BIRTH] Induction w/o Pain Meds&Baby Music Therapy from 2019-10-29T01:00

Today you’ll hear Mariko’s & Rick’s story of hiring a doula very well-suited to them for Mariko’s labor and who served them in very practical and holistic ways throughout pregnancy, labor, a...

8: [BIRTH] A Physician's Perspective on Giving Birth from 2019-10-22T01:00

Today you’ll hear a birth story told by Leah & Trevor, first-time parents. Leah is a hospitalist physician, and she’ll detail how her professional background informed the way she approached ...

7: [BIRTH] Choosing Home Birth for a 2nd Baby from 2019-10-15T01:00

In this episode, Kat & Tom share their positive, empowering story of their 2nd son’s rather efficient birth at home with midwife Cara Muhlhahn (who just happens to both have been host Lisa&a...

6: [BIRTH] An Uncomplicated Hospital Birth with Doula Support&Epidural from 2019-10-08T01:00

Ariel’s birth story includes laboring at home for a good, long time until active labor (6cm), then moving on to epidural once at the hospital, and an efficient pushing stage. She also details th...

5: [BIRTH] Hospital Induction with Doula Support from 2019-10-01T01:00

On today’s episode, Julie shares the story of struggles to conceive for 6 years and ultimately conceiving via IVF, and then goes on to tell her son Cian’s birth story. Her water breaks as the fi...

4: [BIRTH] When Water Breaks in Birth Class from 2019-09-24T01:00

This birth story is one of Lisa's favorites because it was the very first time a student’s water broke in class, right in the middle of a meditation/relaxation exercise! It’s the story of a...

3: [BIRTH] Host Lisa's 2nd-born's homebirth (Ready, Get Set, CATCH!) from 2019-09-17T00:00

On Episode 3, you’ll hear host Lisa's second (kinda crazy, and by that we mean crazy wonderful) birth story, in which Lisa changed care providers several times and switched from planning to...

2: [BIRTH] Host Lisa's 1st-born's Birth Story from 2019-09-17T00:00

In this episode, Host Lisa and her husband, Bryan, share their first baby’s birth story. It’s a story of giving birth in an in-hospital birthing center in Manhattan at Mt. Sinai West in 2005. Yo...

1: Welcome to the Birth Matters podcast! from 2019-09-06T18:00

This episode provides a brief introduction to the podcast and your host. Lisa explains the vision for this podcast and the topics you'll hear -- parents' shared journeys on all things ...

1: Welcome to the Birth Matters podcast! from 2019-09-06T18:00

This episode provides a brief introduction to the podcast and your host. Lisa explains the vision for this podcast and the topics you'll hear -- parents' shared journeys on all things ...