

Down to Birth
Cynthia Overgard & Trisha Ludwig
Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth and postpartum --- beyond the clichés and beyond the system. With 40 years' combined experience in midwifery, childbirth education and advocacy, publishing, research and postpartum care, we've guided thousands of families toward safer, more empowered choices. Down to Birth is all about safe childbirth, while recognizing a safe outcome isn't all that matters. We challenge the status quo, explore women's rights in childbirth, and feature women from all over the world, shining shine light on the policies, culture, and systemic forces that shape our most intimate and transformative of life experiences. You'll hear the birth stories of our clients, listeners and numerous celebrities. You'll benefit from our expert-interviews, and at any time you can submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. With millions of downloads and listeners in 90 countries, our worldwide community of parents and birth professionals coms together to learn, question and create change, personally and societally. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month. Become informed, feel empowered, and join the movement toward better maternity care in the United States and worldwide. As always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 27, 2020 • 29min
#26 | May Q&A: Refusing Newborn Interventions, Birthing the Placenta, Breastfeeding Support At Birth, Co-Sleeping
We are back with another monthly Q&A episode. This week we have some big topics such as "mandatory" newborn interventions: can I say no to the antibiotic eye ointment and/or the Vitamin K shot? Next, we explain the birth of the placenta: when it happens and what to expect. Also, we address how to get started with breastfeeding immediately following birth--don't miss the one simple first step! Lastly, we talk about co-sleeping: what does it mean, who is it for, and is it safe?Thank you to all of our listeners who submit wonderful and inquiring questions for our community.Co-Sleeping & Bed Sharing* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and call us at 802-GET-DOWN to submit your own question.Send us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

May 20, 2020 • 48min
#25 | Your Core & Pelvic Floor: Interview with Women's Health Physical Therapist Tara Gibson
In today's episode we're sitting down with physical therapist Tara Gibson, founder of Aligned Life Physical Therapy and Pelvic Wellness, where she works with prenatal and postpartum women in repairing and maintaining a healthy core and pelvic floor.Just think Kegels, sex, abs, peeing when you sneeze, diastasis, and what can be done about scar tissue. Let's learn to how to strengthen, recover and tone where it matters most. Don't miss the incredibly valuable information in this episode on why a healthy core and pelvic floor are essential.Aligned Life Physical TherapyVoices for Pelvic Floor DisordersRecovering From Birth* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailNeeded <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

May 18, 2020 • 10min
#24 | HypnoBirthing Mini: Group B Strep with Released Membranes and Her Instinct Told Her to Run from Induction
Hi, Listeners! In this first Monday-Mini-Episode, I share the story of one of my HypnoBirthing clients, Christina, who was diagnosed with Group B Strep at 36 weeks. When her membranes released at 39 weeks, her midwives made the evidence-based recommendation that she go immediately to the hospital for induction and antibiotics, even though labor hadn't yet begun. When she and her husband got to the hospital parking lot, she called me sobbing with the words I'll always remember: "Every cell in my body is telling me not to go into the hospital right now". Listen to find out what she did from there, and discover the one thing powerful enough to make her refuse the sound, reasonable recommendation of her trusted midwives.* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

May 13, 2020 • 45min
#23 | Lisa Bass's Birth Story: In the Hospital, In a Car, and At Home
Our guest today is blogger and mother-of-six, Lisa Bass, who you may recognize by her social media platform Farmhouse on Boone. Lisa is the epitome of the modern-day natural living mother. She's making sourdough starter one moment and sewing her children's clothes the next, while wearing her baby in a sling and managing her multi-platform business. Her husband is home with her full-time, and they home school.Today Lisa joins us to share how her six birth experiences evolved, from her highly medical first birth to a planned birth center birth, which resulted in an unassisted car birth while her husband drove 70 mph down the highway.All three babies after that were born peacefully at home.Lisa's story inspires the intuitive approach to finding the right provider and right birth space, where a mother feels her safest during labor and most at peace with her birth experience.* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from our listeners and appreciate questions for our monthly Q&A episodes. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for Cynthia's HypnoBirthing classes as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

May 6, 2020 • 47min
#22 | Birth Into Being: Interview with Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova
Elena Tonetti-Vladimirova is one of the pioneers of the Conscious Birth Movement. From 1982 to 1989, she was one of the original organizers of the birth camps at the Black Sea in Russia, where many women gave birth in shallow lagoons in the presence of wild dolphins. If you've taken a HypnoBirthing class, you may have seen this in Elena's movie, Birth As We Know It. Elena is revered as a spiritual midwife to thousands of families and professionals alike. Elena has been training new facilitators in her method, Birth Into Being, since 2004, and her graduates are now teaching her method in all major languages across 22 countries. The key focus of Birth Into Being is to prevent birth complications through healing on the conscious and subconscious levels. Elena was featured in the UN-sponsored book Force Such As the World Has Never Known: Women Creating Change, as one of the 30 Most Influential Grassroots Women in the World. She received the Legendary Leader Award and has been a keynote speaker at countless conferences.Elena's specialty is in the field of limbic imprinting. In this episode, Elena explains how she's prepared thousands of couples for blissful birthing through her birth-preparation programs, and shares her perspective on how the very world we live in has the opportunity to heal through the way in which we birth our babies.Birth Into Being - Elena's WebsiteBirth As We Know it - Video Link* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends!Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you aSend us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

Apr 29, 2020 • 37min
#21 | April Q&A: Supporting the Immune System in Pregnancy, Painful Postpartum Sex, Your Rights Regarding Separation of Baby After Childbirth, Why You Can Skip the Newborn Bath, What to Expect During the Postpartum Recovery Process
How can you stay your healthiest during pregnancy? While the immune system is slightly compromised and worries are higher with COVID-19, there are many healthy, easy ways to keep yourself strong and healthy. Tune in to hear our tips! In this Q&A we also answer questions around experiencing painful, sexual intercourse several months postpartum, the key reasons babies are unnecessarily separated from parents postpartum, why you can skip the newborn bath, and what to expect during recovery from a vaginal birth and how to best support your healing. Oh, and bonus...our favorite natural birth books. Remember you can call us at 802-GET-DOWN to submit your own question!Postpartum Soothe - for an easier recovery from vaginal birthPelvic Floor Physical TherapyNational Institutes of Health: Unraveling the Mystery of Vernix* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends!Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you and will strive to feature your questions and comments on upcoming shows. To join our monthly newsletter, text "downtobirth" to 22828.You can sign up for online and in-person HypnoBirthing childbirth classes for pregnant couples taught by Cynthia Overgard, as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remembeSend us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

Apr 24, 2020 • 17min
Bonus Episode | How Doulas Support Couples During COVID-19: Interview with Doula Colleen Myatt
Hey podcast community - We've been getting so many questions around COVID-19, we wanted to dive deeper on how doulas are supporting couples right now. In this bonus episode, we spoke with birth- and postpartum-doula Colleen Myatt to find out how doulas are supporting couples during social distancing and/or while certain hospitals currently disallow doulas from attending couples' births. Colleen is certified through DONA International, and she is also an Evidence Based Birth and Spinning Babies Parent Educator. Thanks for listening and see you for our April Q&A episode on Wednesday!Beautiful Births and BeyondDONA InternationalSpinning BabiesEvidence Based Birth* * * * * * * * * * If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends!Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you and will strive to feature your questions and comments on upcoming shows.You can sign up for online HypnoBirthing childbirth classes for pregnant couples taught by Cynthia Overgard, as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailNeeded <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

Apr 22, 2020 • 46min
#20 | Cord Blood Banking and How It Can Help with Diabetes, Cancer, Alzheimer's and Autism: Interview with Marion Welch of Cryo-Cell International
When it comes to having babies we all agree health matters most. While the benefits of delayed cord clamping are well known, less understood is cord blood banking--that is, saving those stem cells for potential use later on. Marion Welch, cord blood educator from Cryo-Cell International is here today to share some of the promising new developments in this field. Did you know cord blood is being used to treat Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer and even autism? Marion is taking us on a deep dive to explain how and why an increasing number of parents are incorporating cord blood banking into their baby's birth plan.Cryo-Cell InternationalParents’ Guide to Cord Blood Foundation for the Accreditation for Cellular TherapyACOG FAQ on Cord Blood Banking* * * * * * * * * * If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends!Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you and will strive to feature your questions and comments on upcoming shows.You can sign up for online HypnoBirthing childbirth classes for pregnant couples taught by Cynthia Overgard, as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailNeeded <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

Apr 15, 2020 • 26min
#19 | Trauma & Childbirth: Lindsay's Story
Today's episode depicts Lindsay’s story of healing from the emotional and physical trauma through her own grief, and how each of her births brought her one step closer to freedom from her past.* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends!Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you and will strive to feature your questions and comments on upcoming shows.You can sign up for online HypnoBirthing childbirth classes for pregnant couples taught by Cynthia Overgard, as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailNeeded <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.

Apr 8, 2020 • 49min
#18 | Courtney's Birth Story: Baby + Triplets Make Four
Imagine you've had an easy, natural birth and are ready for baby number two. Then, when your first child is twelve months old, you go for your pregnancy confirmation visit only to hear, "Surprise! Triplets are joining the family!" Courtney is here today to share her roller coaster journey of shock, excitement, self-determination, and ultimately, her peaceful surrender to the cesarean birth she never thought she would have. https://www.multiplesofamerica.org/* * * * * * * * * *If you enjoyed this episode of the Down To Birth Show, please share with your pregnant and postpartum friends! You can text "downtobirth" to 22828 to join our monthly newsletter.Between episodes, connect with us on Instagram @DownToBirthShow to see behind-the-scenes production clips and join the conversation by responding to our questions and polls related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. You can reach us at Contact@DownToBirthShow.com or call (802) 438-3696 (802-GET-DOWN). We are always happy to hear from you and will strive to feature your questions and comments on upcoming shows.You can sign up for online HypnoBirthing childbirth classes for pregnant couples taught by Cynthia Overgard, as well as online breastfeeding classes and weekly postpartum support groups run by Cynthia & Trisha at HypnoBirthing of Connecticut. Please remember we don’t provide medical advice, and to speak with your licensed medical provider related to all your healthcare matters. Thanks so much for joining in the conversation, and see you next week!Send us Fan MailPostpartum SoothePostpartum Soothe™ is 100% organic. An herbal tincture for pads toward a safer, easier recovery.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Needed <-- this link for 20% off your whole subscription orderDrinkLMNT <-- this link for FREE 8-day supplyPrimally Pure: ingredients good for you and the earth. Promo code: DOWNTOBIRTHPostpartum Soothe: Organic herbal padsicles for healing. Promo code DOWNTOBIRTHENERGYBits: <--this link for 20% offJoin Patreon for our exclusive contentIG @downtobirthshowDown to Birth ShowCall 802-GET-DOWNWatch full videos of all episodes on YouTube! Please note we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed provider for all healthcare matters.


