150: What Home Births Taught Dr. Nathan Riley About Restoring Magic to the Childbirth Process

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"Birth is not a disease. It's not something begging for medical intervention," says Dr. Nathan Riley, an OB-GYN who joins the Quantum Biology Collective podcast to challenge conventional obstetrics and advocate for a more holistic approach to childbirth. After being fired from his hospital job for removing his mask while caring for a dying patient, Dr. Riley found his true calling in supporting home births and empowering women through their pregnancy journeys.

In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Riley discusses the stark differences between the obstetrics model and the midwifery model of care, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and intuition in childbirth. He explains how quantum biology concepts like circadian rhythms and melatonin receptors in the uterus can influence labor progression, and why putting blue light blockers on laboring women at night might enhance their birthing experience.

Dr. Riley also delves into the transformative power of home births, the potential dangers of over-medicalizing pregnancy, and why curiosity and embracing the unknown are crucial in both medicine and life. He shares his unique approach to fertility and pregnancy support, which combines cutting-edge science with ancient wisdom and a deep respect for the magical aspects of bringing new life into the world.

Tune in to today's episode to discover why Dr. Riley believes that changing our approach to childbirth could be the key to changing the world, and learn how embracing uncertainty and wonder in medicine might lead to better outcomes for mothers and babies alike.

5 Key Takeaways

1. Embrace curiosity and be willing to question established medical practices. As Dr. Riley notes, "If we are going to bring back science, not scientism, not the cult of medicine, but science - the scientific way of looking at the world - all that means is I'm curious, and I want to see if my hypothesis is correct."

2. Focus on relationship-building and understanding each patient's unique story when providing care. Dr. Riley emphasizes spending time to "understand your story, do a whole biographical sketch. And once I know that story, then I can say, okay, what would be the most impactful thing we can do right now?"

3. Consider incorporating holistic practices into prenatal and birth care, such as optimizing circadian rhythms. Dr. Riley suggests "when I do that in people's homes, it seems to work really well. I just did this for my best friend who had a breech baby in Florida. And we just had red lights everywhere."

4. Empower patients to trust their intuition and bodily wisdom during birth. As Dr. Riley describes, asking "What does your body want to do?" can lead to more positive birth experiences.

5. Be open to not having all the answers. Dr. Riley advises: "I want people to feel okay not having the answers...life is much richer when you don't know." Embracing uncertainty can lead to more curiosity and discovery.

Memorable Quotes

"Birth and death are really quite similar when you get down to it. I say that through the lens of not like this informed consent thing, but more about the relationship building that's required for a practitioner to really support somebody."

"What quantum biology has really done for me, the greatest gift has been that it has opened up my mind and made me uncertain of what I thought I knew about human biology. And that is a real...