EBB 366 - Practical Ways of Preparing for Postpartum with Sophie Walker, Author and Host of the Australian Birth Stories Podcast
Release Date: 07/23/2025
EBB 368 - Redemptive Cesarean after Planning a Home VBAC with Rikki and Nova Jenkins
Evidence Based Birth®
Rikki and Nova Jenkins join Dr. Rebecca Dekker to share the personal and powerful story of their second birth: a planned home VBAC that ultimately led to a hospital transfer. Rikki, Evidence Based Birth® Instructor Coordinator, doula, and IBCLC, reflects on the trauma of her first Cesarean birth and the deep healing she found through midwifery care, doula support, and intentional preparation. Nova, a Grammy-nominated music producer and proud girl dad, shares his emotional journey from feeling powerless in their first birth to becoming a protective presence throughout this redemptive...
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EBB 367 - Early AROM and High-Dose Pitocin with all Inductions? Breaking Down the Latest Induction Trends with Jennifer Anderson, RN, Doula, and EBB Instructor
Evidence Based Birth®
Jennifer Anderson, RN, experienced doula, Evidence Based Birth® Instructor, and member of Team EBB, returns to the podcast to join Dr. Rebecca Dekker in unpacking a new trend in labor induction protocols—starting Pitocin at higher doses and incorporating early artificial rupture of membranes (AROM). Drawing from her work with high-risk clients and firsthand experience inside hospital systems, Jennifer highlights how policies aimed at “optimizing” labor often prioritize speed over patient-centered care. Together, they examine what’s in these new induction bundles, the evidence...
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EBB 1: Intro to Evidence Based Birth®
Evidence Based Birth®
What happens when a nurse finishing up her PhD in evidence-based practice becomes a parent and realizes her own birth care was anything but evidence-based? In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker take us back to the very beginning and shares how her first birth experience set her on a mission to change maternity care. She reflects on her two contrasting birth stories: one marked by unnecessary interventions and separation from her newborn, the other defined by empowerment, autonomy, and midwifery care. Opening up about how these experiences shaped her purpose, Rebecca shares how these experiences...
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Special Announcement - August with Team EBB
Evidence Based Birth®
Welcome to a special announcement episode of the Evidence Based Birth® Podcast! This August, we’re celebrating the incredible people who make up Team EBB. Each Wednesday, you’ll hear directly from team members as they share their experiences and expertise. Listen on your favorite podcast app or watch full episodes on our YouTube channel, and be sure to follow us on Instagram (@ebbirth) for even more behind-the-scenes stories and updates throughout August. Watch full episodes on Follow us on Instagram for behind-the-scenes stories and team updates For more...
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REPLAY: EBB 216 - The Evidence on Prenatal Perineal Massage for Preventing Tears in Childbirth with Dr. Rebecca Dekker
Evidence Based Birth®
Curious if prenatal perineal massage actually works to prevent tears during childbirth? In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker examines the evidence on perineal massage in late pregnancy, separating fact from fiction and sharing what the research really shows. You’ll learn what major studies say about perineal massage, why some commonly cited research may not be trustworthy, and whether this practice is truly necessary, especially if you’re in a birth setting with low episiotomy rates. You’ll also hear some surprising insights on other ways to protect your perineum and reduce your risk of...
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EBB 366 - Practical Ways of Preparing for Postpartum with Sophie Walker, Author and Host of the Australian Birth Stories Podcast
Evidence Based Birth®
Sophie Walker, host of the Australian Birth Stories podcast and author of The Complete Australian Guide to Pregnancy and Birth and The Complete Guide to Postpartum: A Mother-Focused Companion for Life After Birth, joins Dr. Rebecca Dekker to explore what it really takes to plan for a nourishing postpartum experience and the challenges and strengths of the Australian birth system. Sophie shares how a traumatic first birth sparked her passion for informed decision-making, why continuity of midwifery care matters, and how her country’s publicly funded postpartum home visits and mothers’...
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EBB 365 - Battling a Birth Injury with Leah Van Dale, Former WWE Wrestler and EBB Childbirth Class Graduate
Evidence Based Birth®
Leah Van Dale, former WWE superstar known as Carmella and founder of the women’s health platform Snatch, joins Dr. Rebecca Dekker to share her deeply personal story of postpartum recovery after a traumatic birth injury. Leah opens up about her journey through multiple pregnancy losses, the decision to hire a doula, and how the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class helped her prepare for her first birth. She shares the emotional and physical challenges of a long labor, including an undiagnosed nerve injury that left her unable to walk properly for months postpartum. Now pregnant...
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EBB 364 - How to Prevent and Heal Birthworker Burnout with Doctoral Student Ihotu Ali and Grace Flannery, Certified Professional Midwife
Evidence Based Birth®
Licensed community midwife Grace Flannery and doctoral student Ihotu Ali, founder of the Oshun Center for Intercultural Healing, join Dr. Rebecca Dekker for a moving conversation about burnout, boundaries, and building sustainable birth work. Together, they explore the root causes of burnout in maternity care, from systemic extraction to internalized pressure, and how the path to healing lies in slowing down, reconnecting with purpose, and redefining productivity. Ihotu and Grace share the origin of their collaboration through the Sweetwater Alliance, the transformative “One Main Thing”...
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EBB 363 - A Remarkable Journey from "Babies Are Not Pizzas" Student to Critical Care Nurse to Nurse Midwife with Liz Carr, CNM
Evidence Based Birth®
From ICU to birth center, Liz Carr’s story is a reminder that midwives come to this work through many paths, and each journey holds wisdom for the future of maternal care. In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker reconnects with former nursing student turned certified nurse midwife, Liz Carr. Liz shares her unique trajectory: from critical care nursing to catching babies, from witnessing obstetric violence as a student to providing trauma-informed, evidence-based midwifery care. Liz and Rebecca explore the impact of diverse clinical experiences, the challenges of navigating midwifery...
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EBB 362 - Doula Wisdom and Holistic Practices for Pregnancy and Postpartum with Carson Meyer, Doula and Author of Growing Together
Evidence Based Birth®
Carson Meyer, doula, certified nutrition consultant, and author of Growing Together, joins Dr. Rebecca Dekker for a conversation about reclaiming the sacred, intuitive, and evidence-based aspects of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Carson shares how she stepped into birth work at a young age, driven by a desire to transform a system that can leave parents disempowered and unsupported. She opens up about her own home birth experience, the spiritual preparation that carried her through, and the tools she now teaches others through her virtual Growing Together Circles. Together, Carson and Dr....
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