Down to Birth

More than twenty years ago, Henci Goer's renowned book, The Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth, profoundly shaped Cynthia's understanding of pregnancy and birth, setting her on the path that eventually led to her own natural births and a career in birth education and client advocacy. In this special conversation, we sit down with the author herself, now one of the most influential voices in evidence-based maternity care.

Today...

When complications arise during pregnancy or birth, many women assume their birth plans are over. But does it have to be that way?

In this episode, we're joined by Catey, a mother of four whose pregnancies and births included severe preeclampsia, inductions, postpartum hemorrhages, postpartum depression, thyroid disease, infertility, and a hospital transfer. Despite these serious complications, every one of her births was planned un...

Heads up, all! If you'd like to learn more about our parenting conversation, join our Patreon event: Parenting without Reward & Punishment

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This week’s Q&A begins with a conversation that struck a chord with our community: why mothers need creativity, hobbies, and joy, and sharing inspiring stories from postpartum women who rediscovered parts of themselves through music, art, and new passions.

We also dive into...

In today's episode, we invited back Thaddeus Owen and Heidi Syme of DreamWalkerz, this time focusing on electromagnetic fields (EMFs), wireless technology, and the growing questions many families have about how modern environments can affect health.

We discuss the difference between naturally occurring and man-made electromagnetic fields, the research that has fueled concern about wireless technologies, and why this topic has become...

Welcome to our July Breastfeeding Q&A episode! We open with a conversation about what surprised women most about breastfeeding (for better or worse) after all the things they'd heard from others, from pain and emotional shifts to supply, pumping, and expectations that didn’t match reality.

Additionally, we answer the following questions:

I’m pregnant and still breastfeeding my toddler. What should I know about tandem ...

In today’s episode, we talk with Carly and Rachel of Kale Blossom about environmental toxins, what matters when it comes to everyday exposure, and how mothers can make thoughtful changes without getting pulled into fear-based messaging.

The conversation around “low-tox living” can quickly become overwhelming, especially during pregnancy and early motherhood, when concern for your baby is understandably high. We wan...

In today’s episode, Cassidy Peck shares a birth story shaped by large fibroids, a late IUGR diagnosis, low amniotic fluid, and a postpartum emergency that nearly cost her life.

After years of debilitating periods and a delayed fibroid diagnosis, Cassidy conceived naturally and planned a home birth with an experienced midwife. Her pregnancy was largely uncomplicated until late third trimester, when concerns about fetal growth a...

In today's episode we reference the following resources:

Should I be induced? Evidence on the ARRIVE Trial

Planning Your Successful VBAC

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Welcome to the June Q&A! In today's episode, we begin with a listener who has some things to say about the term VBAC. 

Our questions begin with one from a new mother whose enthusiastic in-laws are eager to babysit her exclusively breastfed baby. The conversation is less about breast...

Most parents have heard that breastfeeding is beneficial. What far fewer understand is why those first feedings matter so much, what colostrum does beyond nutrition, and how early feeding choices shape the gut microbiome, immune system, and long-term health.

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Rhonda Trust, PhD, registered dietitian, professor of health communication, and longtime breastfeeding educator, for a conversation about newbor...

In today’s episode, we take on a question many women think about but don’t always say out loud: should your mother be at your birth?

We share listener voicemails from women who made very different choices. Some had their mothers in the room, some kept them close by but not present for the birth, and others chose not to include them at all.

It’s a candid, interesting conversation that gets into what shapes that decis...

In today's episode, we sat with Ontario couple Jessica and Aaron, who share the birth story of their first child. Jessica's pregnancy included several key decision points, including whether to accept RhoGAM and how to approach care and manage the expectations of their loved ones as they moved well past their due date -- nearly 3 weeks past!

They describe how they evaluated risk, navigated recommendations, and remained aligned as a c...

Happy Spring! And welcome to the May Q&A!

We start with a listener email we loved, followed by a discussion on creativity and why it matters, especially in the early years of motherhood when it can feel completely out of reach.

Then we get into your questions.

We talk about postpartum hemorrhage and how it’s defined, including whether 500 cc of blood loss is truly cause for concern, and the use of Pitocin and Cytotec in that...

In today's episode, Kristina shares her breech birth story following a long journey marked by cycle irregularities, miscarriage, and difficulty conceiving. At 40 weeks, she learned that her baby was breech and was scheduled for a C-section, despite having been told throughout pregnancy that the baby was head down.

Unwilling to move forward with surgery, Kristina sought out an alternative and ultimately found a physician in Connectic...

In today’s episode, Cynthia and Trisha are joined once again by Nancy Wainer, award-winning author, longtime home birth midwife, and the woman who coined the term VBAC in her 1980s book Silent Knife. With decades of experience supporting women through vaginal birth after cesarean, Nancy brings clarity to a conversation that is shaped by fear, false information, and shifting medical standards.

This episode is part free-flowing ...

In today's episode, we speak with Stephanie about her stillborn daughter, Penelope, who arrived at 39 weeks and 6 days. After two healthy births and a completely uneventful third pregnancy, Stephanie found herself facing the unthinkable: an awareness of no fetal movement, confirmed by a silent Doppler and finally a hospital ultrasound. What followed was labor induction, birth, and the impossibility of leaving the hospital without h...

Welcome to the April Q&A with Cynthia and Trisha! Today, we begin with a conversation about one of the most personal questions women face: is there a best age to have children? We talk about the pressures around timing, fertility, career, and spacing, and why this is one of those decisions that depends entirely on the individual woman, her life, and what feels right to her.

Next, we get into your questions, starting with a mothe...

Today, we talk with Tiffany Belanger of @cosleepy about some of the challenges that may arise for co-sleeping families, whether you're trying to reduce night feeds, prepare for another baby, or simply want your bed back. We discuss how these transitions often unfold, including moving a child into a crib or floor bed, and why the experience can look completely different from one family to the next, depending on lifestyle, a child&rs...

We are back with another breastfeeding-only Q&A episode. In today's conversation, we respond to several listener questions related to nursing, sleep, and fertility after breastfeeding. One mother who is co-sleeping with her 15-month-old, who wakes three to five times per night to nurse, asks how she can help her toddler sleep longer stretches without abruptly stopping breastfeeding. Another listener with a 4.5-month-old who has...

In today's episode, one of Trisha's clients, Holly, shares the story of two very different births and two equally different breastfeeding experiences, and what shifted between them.

Her first labor began spontaneously but ended with a vacuum delivery, and the demoralizing message that her “pushes weren’t productive.”  Breastfeeding was just as difficult, leading to a year of mostly exclusive pumping and undiag...