Evidence Based Birth®

A healing birth can change the way you understand everything that came before it. In this episode, Dr. Dekker talks with EBB Childbirth Class graduate Michaela Raines about experiencing a deeply healing birth after a first birth that didn't go as planned.
Michaela shares her first hospital birth story—including unexpected interventions, a long pushing phase, perineal trauma, and a NICU stay—and how those experiences shaped her postpartum recovery. She then walks us through how education, intentional preparation, and support helped her approach her second pregnancy differently, leading to a fast, unmedicated water birth at a freestanding birth center. Michaela also reflects on how this birth felt both physically and emotionally redemptive and what she would share with parents preparing for a subsequent birth after a challenging experience.
(03:13) Michaela's first birth expectations vs. reality
(04:15) Unexpected interventions, epidural, and long pushing
(08:16) Postpartum recovery and feelings of embarrassment
(09:27) Discovering Evidence Based Birth® and choosing a birth center
(12:10) Preparing mentally for an unmedicated birth
(13:26) Birth center transfer protocols and emergency preparedness
(14:34) Early labor and false starts
(19:40) Arriving at the birth center and a rapid water birth
(21:13) The healing impact of her second birth
(24:58) Freedom of movement and choosing birth positions
(30:35) Birth affirmations that carried her through labor
(31:36) Advice for parents preparing for a healing second birth
Resources
EBB 292 – Confronting the Unknowns in Childbirth with Liesel Teen of the Mommy Labor Nurse
EBB 318 – Advocating for Waterbirth in Hospitals with Dr. Liz Nutter, DNP, CNM, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel

What is a due date, and how accurate is it, really? Dr. Rebecca Dekker is joined by Dr. Sara Ailshire of Team EBB to walk through the latest research on due dates, pregnancy length, and what happens when pregnancies go past term. They share the new research on ultrasound dating, the natural length of pregnancy, genetics, and stillbirth risk. They also talk about what a due date actually represents and how pregnancy length varies widely between individuals.
 
Content Note: This episode contains discussion of stillbirth, starting at 26:10 and ending at 40:57. Please take care while listening.
 
Read the Evidence on "What is a Due Date?" here.
 
(05:24) What is a due date and what it isn't
(06:16) How due dates are traditionally calculated
(09:45) Research on ultrasound accuracy
(12:25) Safety of ultrasound & the ALARA principle
(16:38) Why studying pregnancy length is complicated
(22:27) Genetics and family history of longer pregnancies
(25:41) Why providers worry about going past due dates
(27:50) Understanding stillbirth risk and the U-shaped curve
(34:20) Racial disparities in stillbirth risk
(38:37) What pregnant people can do to lower risk
(40:25) Sleep position, fetal movement awareness, and prenatal care
(44:06) Balancing trust in birth with honest risk communication
(45:20) What we know (and don't know) about placental aging
 
Resources
Count the Kicks: https://countthekicks.org/
PUSH Pregnancy: https://www.pushpregnancy.org/
Star Legacy Foundation: https://starlegacyfoundation.org/
Healthy Birth Day: https://healthybirthday.org/
CDC Stillbirth resources: https://www.cdc.gov/stillbirth/communication-resources/index.html
Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support: https://nationalshare.org/
Stillbirth and infant loss support communities: https://postpartum.net/group/stillbirth-and-infant-loss-support-for-parents/

From heat waves to winter storms to hurricanes, extreme weather events are increasingly part of everyday life, and learning how they intersect with pregnancy and birth can empower families and birthworkers alike. Alicia Race, a climate resilience policy advocate with the Union of Concerned Scientists, is joining Dr. Rebecca Dekker this week to share how these events—especially during what experts now call "Danger Season"—can impact pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding families.
 
As we enter 2026, educate yourself now about what scientists consider to be "Danger Season," why extreme heat and extreme cold can be dangerous for pregnant families, and how compounding climate hazards like heat waves, hurricanes, flooding, and wildfire smoke can increase risks such as preterm birth, low birth weight, hypertensive disorders, and mental health stress during pregnancy. Alicia also shares real-world examples, research findings, and tools that families and birthworkers can use to stay informed, prepared, and connected.
 
(02:43) Climate displacement and the idea of "climate refugees"
(04:30) What is Danger Season?
(07:27) Research linking extreme weather to preterm birth and labor outcomes
(08:36) How hurricanes and flooding affect pregnant families
(11:29) Birth during disasters: access to care, transportation, and feeding infants
(13:55) Extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and air quality risks in pregnancy
(18:59) Power outages, utility shutoffs, and climate-related health equity
(25:27) Apps and free tools for tracking air quality and heat alerts
 
Resources
Read Alicia's story, What to Expect When You're Expecting During Danger Season: https://blog.ucs.org/alicia-race/what-to-expect-when-youre-expecting-during-danger-season/
Use the UCS Killer Heat tool: ucs.org/resources/killer-heat-interactive-tool
Take a look at the Danger Season Map: dangerseason.ucs.org/
Map your heat risk with the National Weather Service: www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/heatrisk/
Check the air quality where you live: airnow.gov/
Learn about air quality and smoke near you: airnow.gov/wildfires/
Read about the potential privatization of weather resources: pbs.org/newshour/politics/as-trump-slashed-weather-agency-his-appointees-have-ties-to-companies-that-stand-to-benefit-from-privatizing-forecasts
 
For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Be the first to hear about the special event we're planning for 2026!
To get on the waitlist for the upcoming event, visit ebbirth.com/waitlist.

Long before labor begins, the stories we hear about birth are already shaping our expectations and choices. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker talks with Lisa Greaves Taylor, founder of Birth Matters NYC Childbirth Education, director of the East River Doula Collective, and host of the Birth Matters podcast, about the power of birth stories as tools for education, healing, and self-advocacy.
 
Drawing from her work supporting families in New York City since 2010, Lisa shares how storytelling helps birthing people move beyond fear-based narratives and reconnect with their intuition, confidence, and voice. Together, Rebecca and Lisa explore the realities of giving birth in NYC—including high rates of induction, limited access to midwifery and birth centers, and postpartum support gaps—while also highlighting reasons for hope, advocacy, and change. They also talk about how birth stories can support preparation during pregnancy, help process trauma after difficult births, and empower families navigating VBAC, repeat pregnancies, and systemic barriers to evidence-based care.
 
(02:51) What drew Lisa to childbirth education and doula work
(07:45) Giving birth in NYC then vs. now
(09:07) The evidence-practice gap in New York City maternity care
(15:02) Postpartum care challenges and lactation support gaps
(18:05) The role of midwives in improving birth experiences
(23:47) How storytelling activates intuition and self-advocacy
(28:15) When birth stories can be harmful and how to curate wisely
(35:34) Trauma, dissociation, and the importance of processing birth
(42:18) What gives Lisa hope for the future of birth work
(46:28) Stories, Education, and Support
 
Resources
Learn more about Lisa
Birth Matters NYC: birthmattersnyc.com

Birth Matters Podcast: birthmattersnyc.com/podcast

East River Doula Collective: eastriverdoulas.nyc

Instagram: @birthmattersnyc

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin: share.libbyapp.com/title/5017296
The Story Factor by Annette Simmons: annettesimmons.com/the-story-factor/
The Evidence on: Induction or Cesarean for a Big Baby
EBB 311 – Creating a Community-Led Birth Center in New York City with Myla Flores of the Womb Bus
 
Organizations & Advocates Mentioned
Ancient Song Doula Services: ancientsongdoulaservices.com

Chanel Porchia-Albert: chanelporchia.com

Jennie Joseph: jenniejoseph.com

Kimberly Seals Allers: kimberlysealsallers.com

Michelle Browder: ebbirth.com/274

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.