Respect: Honorifics and the Circle of Support
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
Release Date: 02/08/2021
Rebroadcast of Spring: Reconceptualizing Due Dates
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
This episode is a rebroadcast of Season 1, Episode 71. In this episode, Sara talks about linguistic relativity, her favorite season shift (from winter to spring) and how the term "due date" can be all kinds of problematic!
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Advocacy: Reframing a Hot Button Birth Issue as Educating, Empowering, and Amplifying
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
Advocacy is one of those topics that can get birth workers taking sides and sharing strong opinions. In this episode, I argue that advocacy is the heart and soul of all client-centered birth work, and I frame it in a way that I think you'll agree with me! Get involved as an advocate at all levels of impact--with individuals, in your local environment, and at the state and federal levels. I close the episode with a call to action to support the Perinatal Workforce Act, complete with an easy step-by-step process to follow and a and share with your representative. Let's join together in support...
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Amazing: A Pandemic Birth Story with Ella Mink
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, Ella Mink shares her story of giving birth to her first daughter during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ella was 17 years old at the time and had an amazing water birth at a birth center that ignited her passion for birth, setting her on a path of becoming a birth and postpartum doula and nurse midwife.
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Stories: Powerful Tools for Social Change
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, Sara considers the power of telling your birth story--or your pregnancy or postpartum story. Stories remind us that we are each unique, whole individuals with immeasurable worth and dignity. They highlight the barriers that need to be removed on our path to a better birth experience, and they showcase what's possible if we work together for change. If you'd like to share your story on the podcast, email or reach out on Instagram or Facebook (@birthwords). REFERENCES American Psychological Association. (2021, Ju ne). Carl Rogers, PhD. Council on Social Work...
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Unethical: How Ethics Fade from View in the Birth Space
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, Sara confronts the topic of ethics in the birth space. Unfortunately, ethically objectionable things happen frequently in the birth space. Even more unfortunately, they are often not recognized as such. Using the explanations of ethical fading, Sara explores many ethically questionable things that have been justified to be regularly done during birth. REFERENCES: Betrán, A. P., Torloni, Zhang, J., & Gülmezoglu, A. M. (2015). WHO Statement on Caesarean Section Rates. Bjog: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 123(5), 667–670. Betran, A. P.,...
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Rebirth: Birth Words is Back for Season 2... With a Twist!
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
After a two-year hibernation, Birth Words is being reborn! Season 2 of Birth Words will offer monthly episodes, plus a new twist... listen to this episode to find out more! TRANSCRIPT: Intro: Welcome to birth words. Words are powerful. What are you doing with yours? In this podcast, birth doula and Applied Linguistics scholar Sara Pixton invites you to be intentional, reflective, and empowering with your language as we come together to honor those who give birth. Hello, this is Sara with Birth Words, and I am thrilled to be back in this podcast space with you. The last episode that I...
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Narratives: What to Do When Someone Starts Telling a Birth "Horror Story"
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, Sara discusses what to do when family, friends, or others start telling birth "horror stories" at baby showers or in birthing spaces. She uses the framework of narrative analysis to offer ideas about constructive ways to respond in these situations.
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Necessary: Talking About Pelvic Floor Health with Dr. Betty DeLass, DPT
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, Sara interviews pelvic floor PT Betty DeLass. Betty discusses the importance of normalizing pelvic health through talking about it! She also makes an exciting announcement about how she's working to improve the perinatal experience for *everyone*!
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Bonding: The Benefits of Talking to Your Baby in Utero!
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
Sara summarizes fetal hearing development, then describes the benefits of talking to your baby during pregnancy--for both you and baby!
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Magical: A Conversation with Women's Health Coach Meredith Ashton Cohen About the Menstrual Cycle
Birth Words: Language For a Better Birth
In this episode, guest Meredith Ashton Cohen uses the metaphor of the changing seasons to describe the menstrual cycle and how to live your best life by better understanding each season of the menstrual cycle.
info_outlineIn this episode, we consider how and to whom we show respect through language. Specifically, we consider the use and impact of titles (or lack thereof) by birth care providers. Sara invites you to be reflective about the care providers you choose, the titles they use or don't use, and the relationships these honorifics support.
REFERENCES:
Wardhaugh, Ronald. An introduction to sociolinguistics (2nd Edition). Vol. 28. John Wiley & Sons, 2015.