Birthing Instincts

Thyroid health may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about pregnancy, but thyroid hormones play an important role in both maternal health and fetal development, especially during those early weeks when baby is relying on mom's thyroid hormones.
This week, Blyss and Stu take a deep dive into thyroid disease in pregnancy. Stu breaks down the basics of how the thyroid works, the difference between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, Hashimoto's versus Graves' disease, and what TSH, T3, T4, and thyroid antibodies can actually tell us. They look at the potential pregnancy risks associated with overt thyroid disease, why subclinical disease is a very different conversation, and why pregnancy itself can change thyroid lab values.
Together they answer the question, should every pregnant woman have her thyroid screened? And discuss how testing itself can sometimes set off an unnecessary cascade of referrals, surveillance, and intervention.
This one gets into the weeds, but it's an episode worth saving as a resource for pregnant families, birth workers, and anyone navigating thyroid disease during the childbearing years.

References:
Reclaiming Birth Gathering
reclaimingbirthconference.com/

 Birth and Birth Psychology Congress in Istanbul, Turkey
Instagram: @birthandbirthpsychology
Website: dogumicinelele.org/

Birthing Instincts Podcast Patreon
Patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast

Open Evidence Links
https://www.openevidence.com/ask/04b52887-1c7f-423d-aeb4-7d28376e225a

Thyroid Disease in Pregnancy
www.ovid.com/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003893

Maternal thyroid function during gestation is related to breech presentation at term
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19832853/

Allowed to Birth Ashland Screening
birthinginstincts.com/events/allowed-to-birth

Discussed in This Episode
Thyroid 101: TSH, T3, T4 & How It All Works
Hashimoto's vs. Graves' Disease
Why Thyroid Hormones Matter for Fetal Development
Thyroid Disease & Pregnancy Risks: What Do the Numbers Actually Mean?
Should Everyone Be Screened During Pregnancy?
How Pregnancy Changes Thyroid Labs
Hypothyroidism: When Pregnancy Symptoms Look Like Thyroid Symptoms
Subclinical Hypothyroidism: Does It Need Treatment?
What Thyroid Labs Should Actually Be Ordered?
Treating Overt Hypothyroidism During Pregnancy
Hyperemesis and Thyroid Changes

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week, Blyss and Stu run the gamut, from joy and grief to frustration, research, and a whole lot of questions about who really gets to decide what “safe” birth looks like.
After sharing personal updates and a moving remembrance of Dr. Rob Biter, Blyss and Stu turn their attention to autonomy in birth. They discuss a mother struggling to find a midwife willing to truly meet her where she is, the ongoing fight over traditional midwifery in Pennsylvania, and what happens when regulation and institutional standards begin limiting the choices available to birthing families.
Then, Dr. Stu dives into new research examining oxytocin (Pitocin), TOLAC, and uterine rupture. What does the research actually tell us about uterine rupture when Pitocin is used during a VBAC? How much does the risk change compared with spontaneous labor? Does a higher dose matter? And perhaps most importantly, are we paying enough attention when a laboring body, or the woman herself, is telling us something isn't right?
Blyss brings the midwifery perspective to the data, questioning directed pushing, prolonged augmentation, hospital timelines, and what can happen when physiology is pushed rather than supported. Together, she and Stu unpack the difference between relative risk and absolute risk, how the same research can be used to either support or discourage VBAC, and why informed decision-making requires more than simply being told what the “standard of care” recommends.

References:
Reclaiming Birth Gathering
reclaimingbirthconference.com/

Allowed to Birth Ashland Screening
birthinginstincts.com/events/allowed-to-birth

Inquirer Article: Why Pennsylvania quietly repealed its 1929 midwifery law — and is now getting sued for it
https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/midwives-pennsylvania-budget-law-20260804.html

PubMed study: Maximum Oxytocin Dose and Uterine Rupture During Trial of Labor After Cesarean
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41325062/

Discussed in This Episode
Remembering Dr. Rob Biter and his contributions to physiologic birth
What’s happening with traditional midwifery in Pennsylvania
How regulation can indirectly restrict access to home birth
Newest Research on Pitocin use during TOLAC
Uterine rupture rates with spontaneous labor vs. oxytocin exposure
Relative risk vs. absolute risk when counseling families
Why increased Pitocin doses may be telling us something about the labor itself
Directed pushing, augmentation, and listening to the body
How confirmation bias influences the way research gets interpreted

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What happens when the medical record doesn't match the birth experience?
This week, Blyss and Stu dive into one of the most uncomfortable, but critically important topics in maternity care: documentation, informed consent, and the ways language can shape a family's entire birth experience.
Using real-world examples, published legal cases, hospital consent forms, and an anonymous patient story, they examine how documentation can influence clinical decisions, legal outcomes, and patient autonomy. They discuss the difference between genuine informed consent and liability-driven documentation, why wording matters, and how routine practices can become normalized before parents even realize they have options.
Whether you plan to birth at home, in a birth center, or in the hospital, understanding how consent, documentation, and communication intersect can help you become a more informed participant in your own care.

References:
Girls Who Know: girlswhoknow.com (code instincts for 15% off)
Case Law Update: Gawthrop v Bendigo Health [2026] VSC 157
https://bravelegal.com.au/gawthrop-v-bendigo-health-vaginal-examination/
Melissa Philippe Facebook Post
The Doula Group on Facebook
Johns Hopkins: Delivering Your Baby
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/delivery

Discussed in This Episode
What true informed consent should look like
How documentation can influence legal and medical narratives
The difference between physiologic birth and procedure-based birth education
Why coercive language matters
A court ruling that recognized non-consensual vaginal exams as assault.
How fear-based counseling can affect birth decisions
Why birth education before labor is more important than ever

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week, Blyss and Stu welcome Doula Dude, Travis Stroud, whose perspective has captivated millions of viewers in just a few short months. Travis never imagined he'd become one of the loudest voices encouraging fathers to educate themselves about pregnancy and birth. But after preparing for nearly two years, he and his wife chose a wild pregnancy and freebirth at home that forever changed the course of his life.
Together they discuss why men have become disconnected from birth, what fathers lose when they're pushed to the sidelines, and why Travis believes childbirth is the "biggest rabbit hole" because it touches every aspect of health, family, and society.
Whether you agree with every perspective or not, this conversation challenges listeners to ask questions, become informed, and reconsider the role fathers can play in protecting and supporting mothers during birth.

About Travis Stroud:
Travis is a 31-year-old husband and father in the small town of Brunswick, Maryland. On Valentine's Day in 2024, he and his wife welcomed their daughter through a planned free birth at home Travis was the sole birth attendant, and together they managed every aspect of the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey, with the exception of some postpartum support from his mother-in-law.
The couple spent nearly two years preparing, beginning their research and planning back in 2022, before they had even conceived. Their birth experience profoundly changed Travis's perspective on pregnancy, birth, and fatherhood in ways he never expected.
Today, he is passionate about sharing their story and the lessons they learned, inspiring conversations about birth trust, and the incredible role fathers can play in the journey.

Instagram: @Doula.dude
Eyla Cuenca's Uncover Birth Doula Training (Use code STU for 10% off)
Dr. Bradley's Husband-Coached Childbirth book 

References:
Earthbound Parenting Podcast: Mentorship & the Things That Weave Us with Blyss Young
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentorship-the-things-that-weave-us-with-blyss-young/id1612737552?i=1000776872540

Breech Birth Podcast: S5 Ep6 Dr Stuart Fischbein: Twins, VBAC, disempowered doctors & hospital systems
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1kef3azO2lkResOw4LMCmj?si=2vODGoHQS9Wr_9ikDMkMrg&nd=1&dlsi=f2411fe90011441d

Germany drops routine COVID vaccination advice for healthy people under 75
https://goodoil.news/germany-drops-routine-covid-vaccination-advice-for-healthy-people-under-75/#google_vignette

Discussed in This Episode
Preparing for Birth Before Pregnancy
Travis’ Wild Pregnancy & Freebirth Story
Why Birth Became His Mission
Who Controls Birth?
Why Fathers Matter
How Families Evaluate Risk
The Importance of Informed Decision-Making
Why Every Parent Deserves to Understand All of their Options

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

This week, Dr. Stu welcomes Florida midwife Fadwah Halaby for an inspiring conversation about evidence, autonomy, and trusting physiological birth. Before diving into an unforgettable breech twin home birth, Stu takes a deep dive into another one of obstetrics' commonly accepted practices, the "2-centimeter rule" for low-lying placenta, and uncovers the surprisingly weak evidence behind it. 
Together, Stu and Fadwah explore how outdated conventions become hospital policy, why individualized care matters, and what happens when skilled providers support families instead of protocols. From twin growth charts to cord prolapse, patient autonomy, and the realities of home birth, this episode challenges assumptions while celebrating the art and science of physiological birth.

About Fadwah
Fadwah has worked as a nurse since 1992 (34 years) in various areas such as home health, ER, and L&D. For the past 20 years she has worked as a Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife - 8 years in a busy OB practice facilitating hospital birth and office gynecology, and 12 years in her independent home birth practice. She has assisted over 2000 babies to be born with about 700 of those in the community birth setting. She has been offering breech and twin birth in her practice for several years, more often in the past few years since completing formal training through Spinning Babies and Breech Without Borders. The first birth she ever witnessed live (other than her own) was a breech birth, in 1986.
She is a divorced mother of 6 grown children with 5 granddaughters. Currently living in Palm Beach County, south Florida where she has her office and home birth practice, Midwife360. She is currently back to working in a solo practice with back up from various other home birth midwives in the area. She is limiting her practice to 4 births per month and willing to take on breech births from the community whenever she is able as there are no options for breech for most women. She is a licensed autonomous APRN in Florida.
In 2023, she decided to exit the insurance game completely, after offering in-network provision of care through most insurance companies, both private and public. The reasons for this are numerous, but mainly financial and emotional. To help offset the difficulty some families have in affording home birth midwifery (a concierge service to be sure) she started a non profit - Birth Equity Resource. A 501(c)3 designed to attract donors wanting to help those more financially challenged to be able to choose home birth midwifery.

Website: midwife360.com 
Non-Profit: birthequityresource.org
Instagram: @midwife360

References:
Placental edge to internal os distance in the late third trimester and mode of delivery in placenta praevia
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2003.02491.x

Vaginal delivery in women with a low-lying placenta: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.15622

Fetal Imaging: Executive Summary of a Joint Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Radiology, Society for Pediatric Radiology, and Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound Fetal Imaging Workshop

Placenta previa: distance to internal os and mode of delivery
https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2809%2900629-2/fulltext

Birthing Instincts Podcast 378: The Cost of Homebirth, Navigating Insurance in Midwifery, with Fadwah Halaby

A maneuver for head entanglement in term breech/vertex twin labor, by Dr. Stu Fischbein
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52ca1028e4b05c5f2d7b157d/t/62e02090874eae67b683bc67/1658855570428/A+Maneuver+for+Head+Entanglement+Published.pdf

Discussed in This Episode
Where the 2-centimeter low-lying placenta guideline actually came from
Counseling families about twin pregnancy beyond fear-based statistics
Fadwah's pathway from hospital midwifery to independent home birth practice
Preparing for a planned breech twin home birth
Managing cord prolapse in a breech presentation
Home birth emergency preparedness and neonatal resuscitation
The importance of individualized risk assessment over blanket policies

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands