Season 7 Episode 3: Resiliency for Birth Workers with Nicole Heidbreder
Release Date: 08/10/2023
S10 E3: The True Value of a Postpartum Village
InCast
In today’s fast-paced and often disconnected world, many new parents find themselves navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with far less support than previous generations. In this episode, we explore the powerful role of community in maternal and family well-being and why rebuilding a modern-day “village” may be one of the most important ways to improve postpartum outcomes. Drawing from her experience supporting more than 100,000 families, Gabriela Gerhart shares practical insights on creating meaningful connections, strengthening support systems, and helping parents...
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S10 E2: Increasing Stability in a Transition to Parenthood
InCast
In a world that feels increasingly uncertain—from global conflict and community tension to lingering stress carried forward from the pandemic—expecting and new parents are holding more emotional weight than ever before. This episode explores how stress shows up during the childbearing years and, more importantly, how perinatal professionals can help parents feel grounded, supported, and capable even when the world around them feels unsteady. With warmth, insight, and decades of clinical experience, Gabrielle Kaufman offers practical, compassionate tools for navigating uncertainty without...
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S10 E1: The Induction Question: Evidence, Agency, and Informed Choice
InCast
Induction has quietly become one of the most common interventions in childbirth—so common that many parents assume it’s inevitable or automatically safer. In this episode, we slow the conversation way down and take a careful, evidence-based look at how induction became routine, what the research actually shows, and why so many families are encouraged to induce without hearing the full story. With clarity, depth, and decades of expertise, Henci Goer helps listeners untangle fear from fact and reclaim informed choice in one of the most consequential decisions of the childbearing year. About...
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S9 E7: A Modern Approach to Advanced Maternal Age: From Screening to Support
InCast
In this rich and reassuring conversation, Debbie sits down once again with Dr. Lexi Hill, a Maternal–Fetal Medicine specialist, to unpack what advanced maternal age really means today. Together, they demystify the risks, clarify what’s truly important in prenatal care, and offer practical guidance for parents, educators, and birth professionals alike. From essential screenings and advocacy tips to emotional wellness and preparing for birth, this episode blends evidence-based insight with compassion and clarity. Whether you work with...
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S9 E6: When Pregnancy Becomes “High-Risk”: An Educator’s Guide to Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Care
InCast
When a pregnancy is labeled “high-risk” and families are transferred from standard pregnancy care to a Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist, it can feel overwhelming, disorienting, and even like a personal setback. Emotions like fear, confusion, and self-doubt are common for parents, but finding balance during this transition is essential. Staying engaged and empowered isn’t just good for emotional well-being; it’s critical for making informed decisions throughout their pregnancy...
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S9 E5: Supporting Families Through Pregnancy & Infant Loss: What Birth Workers Need to Know with Ashley Rose Salvitti
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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S9 E4 Insights on Perinatal Mental Health from PROSPER Leaders: Practical Tips for Educators and Doulas
InCast
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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S9 E3 Inside the Newborn Mind: Tools for Teaching Parents How to Understand Their Babies
InCast
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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S9 E2 Gentle Sleep Support with Sierra Brooks
InCast
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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S9 E1 Preparing for Low-Intervention Birth with Sarah, the “Labor Junkie RN”
InCast
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...
info_outlineWhile witnessing the miracle of birth can be exhilarating, it is often wrought with circumstances that create stress, confusion, grief—and sometimes even burnout— in nurses, caregivers, doulas, and other birth workers. The COVID and post-COVID period has brought even more tension into the mix with restrictions and staffing issues. Listen to explore the problems and discover some solutions to make life as a birth worker more resilient and satisfying.
Nicole Heidbreder has worked as a Hospice Nurse and Labor and Delivery Nurse in various capacities for the last 10 years in the Washington, DC area, in addition to teaching Birth and End of Life Doula Workshops. As a birth worker, Nicole has been attending births as a doula for over 17 years in Washington, DC, New York City, San Francisco, Sumatra, Bali, and Uganda, in addition to working as a labor and delivery nurse at George Washington University Hospital. Currently, she also facilitates independent birth doula workshops and trains nursing students as a Clinical Instructor with the Johns Hopkins University Birth Companions Program. Through her work as a DONA International approved Birth Doula Trainer, she has taught hundreds of women over the past 10 years and truly believes that teaching maternal child health is her life's calling.
Listen and Learn
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Why over 38% of RNs are likely to leave their position in the next 2 years
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What drains birth worker passion
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What support is available to current birth workers to reconnect to the joy of birth work
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How birth workers with different levels of specialty and education working together can create friction
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When birth workers experience PTSD
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How a mindset of post-traumatic growth can be a game changer
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Practical skills for nonviolent communication for high-stress birth situations
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The best ways to use grounding and anchoring practices
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How to set boundaries and avoid saviorism
Contact Nicole at Nicole@gracefulfusion.com
Resources & Mentions:
Learn more about Nicole’s Resiliency for Birth Workers workshop here: https://www.gracefulfusion.com/
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