Season 5 Episode 4: Nobody Told Me About That: The First Six Weeks Postpartum with Ginger Breedlove of Grow Midwives
Release Date: 05/20/2021
InCast
Pregnancy often begins with joy and anticipation—but for some, it ends in unimaginable heartbreak. In this powerful episode, we explore what happens when pregnancy ends in loss, and how doulas, birth workers, and loved ones can offer meaningful support. This episode offers insight into the complexity of perinatal grief, the power of presence, and practical strategies for compassionate care. Learn how to support families through the emotional, physical, and spiritual aftermath of loss—and why grief education and specialized training should be a standard part of all birth...
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We’re diving into a vital topic that touches the heart of our work as birth professionals: supporting mental health during the perinatal period. Whether you're a childbirth educator, a doula, or another type of birth professional, your role is uniquely positioned to offer meaningful support during one of the most emotionally complex times in a person's life. Perinatal Mental Health Disorders (PMHDs) affect 1 in 5 individuals during pregnancy and postpartum—yet they often go undiscussed or unnoticed. In this episode, we’ll explore how educators, doulas, and other birth...
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Hillary helps us learn how newborns experience their brand-new world —and how we as educators and doulas can help families understand them in ways they may have never been taught. Rather than seeing babies as a blob to be shaped, we can recognize them as fully formed people with unique needs. Transitioning from an internal dark, warm, water-filled home to the bright, ever-changing world can be quite an undertaking— but with our love and guidance, we can help them grow to their full potential, starting from the very first breath. Learning more about how we can teach this in a wonderfully...
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Join us as we explore gentle sleep support—for both parents and babies—with Sierra Brooks, CAPPA Certified Postpartum Doula, Gentle Sleep Coach, and Certified Lactation Counselor. In this episode, Sierra shares insights into how helping parents understand the biological needs of their babies, and how to accommodate those needs while getting enough rest themselves, can reduce maternal mental health struggles. After years of “cry it out” being the norm, Sierra offers a fresh perspective on emerging, more compassionate, and evidence-based sleep strategies. By...
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Sarah —better known as the “Labor Junkie RN”— is a practicing high-risk labor nurse, social media influencer, and mom of three. You may have seen her on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook sharing evidence-based insights on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. She often ends reels with “For more information on pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum, give me a follow and check out my page”. So, we did—and invited her to share her wisdom with you in this special podcast episode. As a nurse and mom of three who chose unmedicated births, Sarah brings a unique...
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Too many moms and babies are dying in the US! Many of those tragedies are avoidable. We have seen this problem, talked about the problem, and yet, the problem still exists. Poor outcomes can happen because of lack of respect and not listening to what is being said by the patient, especially BIPOC patients. Today we are speaking to Dr. Renée Canady, a relationship-driven leader and author of the recently published book, “Room at the Table: A Leader’s Guide to Advancing Health Equity and Justice.” She is recognized as a national thought leader in the areas of...
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Gestational diabetes changes the direction of many women’s pregnancies. Once the determination is made, things are not so straightforward after that. In this podcast we will explore how the path to birth changes once a diagnosis is made and what women can do to have a birth with as few complications as possible. We also look at what women can do to prevent the diagnosis in the first place. We discussed this important topic with Lily Nichols, who is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, researcher, and author with a passion for...
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When a mother has the devastating experience of leaving the hospital without a baby and perhaps only a memory box, many in our society expect them to get on with living and go back to their normal life. But their life is changed forever, and many don’t recognize or acknowledge that. Today we will hear the story of grief, anger, a battle, and finally, a life’s purpose for one mother who had to walk this hard path. Through her mission, she struggled to get family leave extended to grieving parents, so no one would have to suffer as she did. She also discovered the importance of...
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Join us for the latest information on perinatal addiction. We will explore the most commonly used substances that affect the lives of families and their babies during pregnancy and postpartum. We also discuss the new legislation in some states that has changed the way that parents with substance use issues are treated. Since it’s been proven that punitive measures do not lead to change with people who have this complicated problem, new laws were put into place with the hope that women with substance use issues start prenatal care earlier. You’ll also learn how educators and...
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Mama Bird Doula Services' mission is to improve the maternal health outcomes for Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC) and their babies in their community. They believe that all birthing persons and their families should feel Safe, Seen, and Heard. Through lived experience, the founder of Mama Bird, Birdie Johnson, came to understand the importance of having complete support and information to make decisions for the best possible outcomes. Knowing that this support and information is often missing, she made it her mission to be sure that others would have a better...
info_outlineEven in early nursing school Ginger felt she would write a book someday. Finding a need while working with her new daughter-in-law gave her the much-needed topic. Surviving in postpartum should not be as hard as it was for Ginger’s loved one or many other new mothers. To create a template for thriving and celebrating life with a new baby, Ginger called upon 15 other experienced postpartum professionals and parents, and they created a book that can be used by parents and professionals Listen in as we discuss the book, changes needed in our healthcare system for postpartum families in the first six weeks, and more!
Dr. Breedlove is a past president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. In 2017, she formed a consulting company, Grow Midwives LLC, to educate physicians and hospitals while supporting midwives in the design and scaling of best practices in collaborative care models. Prior to consulting, she was on faculty a combined 17 years as Professor of Nursing and Midwifery at Shenandoah University and University of Kansas School of Nursing founding program director. She co-founded the first free-standing birthing center in Topeka, Kansas in 1979, the first Midwife service in Kansas City, Missouri in 1994, and established the University of Kansas Midwifery program in 1999. In 2016 she co-founded March for Moms with Dr. Neel Shah and has served as President four years. In 2018, Dr. Breedlove edited and launched a book for first-time parents navigating the first six weeks of pregnancy titled, Nobody Told Me About That!
Listen and Learn:
- How a lack of educational support before and during postpartum negatively impacts bringing baby home
- The mental and emotional impact of feeling unprepared
- How postpartum deaths could be prevented with accurate information
- One of the most important tools for new parents is learning to use their voice
- How to create a safer postpartum system by using inter-professional contact after leaving the hospital
- Change can happen when demand comes from parents, employers, legislators, community members and healthcare professionals
- About postpartum concerns from 16 women’s health professionals
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