

Evidence Based Birth®
Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN
In the Evidence Based Birth® podcast, we cover the research evidence on hot topics about pregnancy and childbirth! Our mission is to help birth workers build the evidence based knowledge, skills, and power they need to protect families' ability to give birth with empowerment. The work we do has a huge impact on parents who are searching for accurate information to empower their prenatal, birth, and postpartum experiences!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 16, 2021 • 59min
EBB 181- Restoring Black-led Nurse-Midwifery Care in Alabama with Dr. Stephanie Mitchell
On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Dr. Stephanie Mitchell about starting a midwifery-led birth center. Dr. Mitchell is a certified nurse-midwife who earned her BSN from Curry College, along with her MSN and her doctorate of Nursing Practice from Frontier Nursing University. Dr. Mitchell is the founder of The Birth Sanctuary of Gainesville, Alabama, a freestanding birth center under development that will be the first Black-owned birth center in the state. She is actively involved in teaching others on Instagram as @doctor_midwife. We will talk about Dr. Mitchell's journey to becoming a nurse-midwife and her passion for restoring Black-led midwifery care to the people of Alabama. We also talk about how Dr. Mitchell calls out harmful obstetric practices against Black birthing bodies, and how she advocates for the importance of creating safer and affirmative services in perinatal healthcare. **Content warning: We talk about implicit bias and racism.** RESOURCES: Learn more about Stephanie Mitchell and The Birth Sanctuary here (https://thebirthsanctuary.com/). Follow Stephanie on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/doctor_midwife/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Jun 9, 2021 • 1h 5min
EBB 180 - Trauma-Informed Care and Consent with Feminist Midwife, Stephanie Tillman
On today's podcast we are excited to feature Feminist Midwife, Stephanie Tillman (she/her), a midwife at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Stephanie is on the Board of Directors of Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health and the Midwest Access Project. Stephanie is also a member of the American College of Nurse-Midwives Ethics Committee and is an advisory committee member of the Queer and Transgender Midwives Association. We talk about Stephanie's journey to becoming a midwife involved in trauma-informed care. We also talk about the importance of active consent regarding pelvic exams and forced medical interventions in birth work. Stephanie also shares her thoughts about the ARRIVE trial's effects on 39-week elective inductions in the Chicago area. **Content Warning: We will be talking about obstetric abuse, sexual assault, trauma, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and gaslighting.** RESOURCES: Learn more about Stephanie Tillman and "Feminist Midwife" here (https://www.feministmidwife.com/). Read Stephanie's article "Consent in Pelvic Care" here (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jmwh.13189). Follow Stephanie on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FeministMidwife/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/feministmidwife), and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/feministmidwife/). Learn more about the American College of Nurse-Midwives here (https://www.midwife.org/default.aspx). Learn more about Nurses for Sexual and Reproductive Health here (https://www.nsrh.org/). Learn more about the Midwest Access Project here (https://midwestaccessproject.org/). Learn more about the Queer and Transgender Midwives Association here (https://www.elephantcircle.net/qtma). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Jun 2, 2021 • 58min
EBB 179 - An Empowering and Transformative Home Birth Experience with Trish and Mimi Ang
On today's podcast, we are thrilled to share with you an empowering and transformative home birth story from Trish and Mimi Ang. Trish (she/her) and Mimi (she/her) are first-time parents to their baby boy, Aspen Kai, and they are graduates of the EBB Childbirth Class. Mimi and Trish fell in love three years ago over rock climbing, and pushed up their home insemination plans last year due to COVID. We spoke with Trish and Mimi about using an alternative process for their family planning, as well as their refreshing experience taking an EBB Childbirth Class with their doula and EBB instructor, Shalin Butterworth. They also describe their empowering home birth experience (including how they overcame some challenges!) and the supportive care provided by their midwives and doula. RESOURCES: Learn more about Shalin Butterworth here (https://www.sozenbirthservices.com/). Follow Shalin on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sozenbirthservices/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/sozenbirth/). Learn more about Birthstream here (https://www.birthstream.com/). Learn more about California is Mothers-for-Mothers Postpartum Justice Project here (https://m2mpostpartum.org). Learn more about Chicago Volunteer Doulas here (https://www.chicagovolunteerdoulas.org/). Learn more about the Military Birth Resource Network here (https://www.militarybirthresourcenetwork.org/). Learn more about 4th Trimester Arizona here (https://4thtrimesteraz.org/). Learn more about Postpartum Support International here (https://postpartum.net). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

May 26, 2021 • 39min
EBB 178 - Pregnancy After 35 with OB/GYN and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist, Dr. Shannon M. Clark
On today's podcast, I'm so excited to welcome Dr. Shannon Clark. Dr. Clark is a double board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and maternal-fetal medicine specialist focusing on the care of people with perinatal or fetal complications in pregnancy. With a special interest in pregnancy after the age of 35, Dr. Clark has been inspired not only by the experiences of friends and patients but by her own personal experience of trying to get pregnant in her forties. We talk about Dr. Clark's journey to her role in as an OB/GYN serving pregnant people over the age of 35, and her own challenging, personal experience of getting pregnant (with twins!) for the first time at the age of 42. **Content warning: We will talk about miscarriage, fertility issues, and pregnancy complications.** RESOURCES: Learn more about Dr. Shannon M. Clark and "Babies After 35" here (https://www.babiesafter35.com/). Follow Dr. Clark on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/babiesafter35/), TikTok (tiktokbabydoc), and Instagram (tps://www.instagram.com/babiesafter35). Learn more about the National Institutes of Health (NIH) here (https://www.nih.gov/). Learn more about maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) here (https://www.smfm.org/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

May 19, 2021 • 34min
EBB 177 - Pregnancy After 35 and the Experience of an Unplanned Homebirth with Mera and Dimitri
On today's podcast, we're going to talk with Mera and Dimitri about having their fourth baby after the age of 35 and giving birth before they could make it to the hospital. Mera is a freelance writer, enrichment educator, and mom of four living in South Carolina. Dimitri is an army veteran studying computer science and a father of four in South Carolina. Mera and Dimitri recently gave birth to their baby in October of 2020. And they took the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class with EBB instructor, Juliann Lee, who is also based in South Carolina. We will talk about their very exciting birth story about giving birth in their living room before they could make it to the hospital. We also talk about their experience of pregnancy after 35 and feeling prepared to advocate for the birth that they wanted after taking the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth class. **Content warning: We will talk about prior birth trauma.** Learn more about Juliann Lee here (https://www.littleorchidsbirth.com/meet-juliann). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

May 12, 2021 • 60min
EBB 176 - Evidence on Advanced Maternal Age
We are thrilled to announce that we have updated the research information on one of our most popular articles, the Evidence on Advanced Maternal Age. My mom had her first baby at the age of 19, and that was "normal" back then. But today, it seems like delaying pregnancy until your 30s or older is becoming the norm. All around the world, the average age at first birth is going up and reaching record highs! So needless to say, the topic of "Advanced Maternal Age" affects a LOT of people! In today's podcast, I share the recording from our webinar on AMA that will include the actual statistics on the health outcomes for people who are pregnant at 35 and older. The recording also includes some storytelling and discussion of the implications of this research data. Hopefully, the information in the podcast and the Signature Article will be helpful either to you or someone you know. Feel free to forward this article to anyone you think might be interested! Content warning: We will talk about statistics on stillbirth, newborn death, and gestational mortality, as well as the effects of racism on stillbirth. Resources: Learn more about Jennie Joseph here (https://commonsensechildbirth.org/). Learn moare about The JJ Way here (https://savinglives.biz/the-jj-way/). Follow Jennie Joseph on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeJennie/) and on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/iamjenniejoseph/). Listen to Jennie Joseph's EBB podcast here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/solutions-for-the-crisis-in-american-maternity-care-with-jennie-joseph/). Learn more about UpToDate here (https://www.uptodate.com/home). Learn more about Denise Bolds and A Bold Doula here (https://www.bolddoula.com/). Learn more about China Tolliver here (https://www.riseupmidwife.com/). Learn more about Black Mamas Matter Association here (https://blackmamasmatter.org/). Learn more about the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here (https://www.acog.org/). Learn more about the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists here (https://www.rcog.org.uk/). Learn more about Dr. Mimi Niles here (https://nursing.nyu.edu/directory/faculty/mimi-niles). Learn more about Dr. Alicia Breakey here (https://scholar.harvard.edu/breakey/biocv). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

May 5, 2021 • 45min
EBB 175 - Evidence on Midwives
Today's podcast episode is focused on a very important topic— the Evidence on Midwives. We've been asked for years to publish an article or podcast on the evidence on midwifery care, and we felt there was no better day to release a podcast episode on this topic than May 5th, International Day of the Midwife! In this episode, I discuss the different types of midwives, the history of midwifery care (and how it was nearly eliminated in the U.S.), and the research on the better health outcomes that are seen when families are randomly assigned to receive midwifery-led care. We also talk about the effects of racism and mistreatment in obstetric care, and how midwives — especially midwives of color— are a critical solution to the maternal mortality crisis in the U.S. With the theme of the 2021 International Day of the Midwife being, "Follow the data and invest in midwives," we are honored in this podcast episode to talk about why we need more midwives of color, and to acknowledge the Black grand midwives who have recently transitioned from elders to ancestors. Content warning: In this episode, we talk about miscarriage, fetal loss, and racism. Resources: Learn more about Birth Place Lab Maps here (https://birthplacelab.org/maps). Learn more about The Giving Voice to Mothers study here (https://reproductive-health-journal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12978-019-0729-2). Learn more about Melanated Midwives here (https://melanatedmidwives.org). Learn more about the National Black Midwives Alliance here (https://blackmidwivesalliance.org/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Apr 28, 2021 • 51min
EBB 174 - The Need for More Black OB/GYN Representation with Dr. Rachel Bervell and Dr. Tamandra Morgan
On today's podcast, we are thrilled to share with you an important interview with the co-founders of The Black OBGYN Project, Dr. Rachel Bervell, and Dr. Tamandra Morgan. Dr. Rachel Bervell, a graduate of Harvard and Georgetown University, is the founder of the nonprofit organization "Hugs for Ghana," and co-founder of "The Fresh Resource Urban Initiative Team" or FRUIT, which addresses food insecurity and underserved communities through health literacy and nutrition courses. Dr. Bervell continues today to be dedicated to vulnerable communities and patients and serves as a medical consultant for the University of California, San Francisco's "Voices for Birth Justice" and as a women's health practitioner. Dr. Tamandra Morgan, a graduate of Stanford, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a second-year resident physician in OB/GYN at the University of California, San Francisco. In Chicago, Dr. Morgan was a leader in the Urban Medicine program and volunteered at the male health forum on Chicago South Side. Dr. Morgan is a 2017 recipient of the prestigious American Association of University Women Selected Professions Fellowships. In today's podcast, Dr. Bervell and Dr. Morgan share their journey to becoming obstetric physicians. We also talk about their experiences with creating "The Black OBGYN Project," and how they are using their platform to advocate and amplify the need for more Black OB/GYNs to enter and be supported in the field. **Content Warning: We talk about racial disparities, obstetric abuse, microaggressions, and sexual assault.** Resources: Learn more about The Black OBGYN Project here on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Black-ObGyn-Project) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/theblackobgynproject). Learn more about Medical Bondage by Dr. Deirdre Cooper Owens here (https://ugapress.org/book/9780820354750/medical-bondage/). Learn more about Killing the Black Body by Dorothy Roberts here For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Apr 21, 2021 • 39min
EBB 173 - Evidence on External Cephalic Version for Breech Positioned Babies
In this week's podcast, we wrap up our mini-series on breech babies by covering the latest research on external cephalic version (ECV) for breech positioned babies! Topics covered in this podcast episode include updated information on: How common it is to have a breech positioned baby How often people are offered and receive an ECV for a breech baby The effectiveness of ECV for lowering the risk of Cesarean Benefits and risks of the ECV procedure Pain management during an ECV Timing of an ECV and techniques that can increase effectiveness Effects of a prior Cesarean on the ECV success rate And more! To read the transcript and see all of the research references, just go to https://evidencebasedbirth.com/breechversion Resources: EBB Signature Article on Breech Version https://evidencebasedbirth.com/breechversion EBB Podcast 171: Breech Vaginal Birth EBB Podcast 172: Interview with Breech without Borders Visit Breech without Borders at https://breechwithoutborders.com Read our Signature Article all about Family-centered Cesareans: https://evidencebasedbirth.com/cesareancare For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.

Apr 14, 2021 • 57min
EBB 172 - Breech Vaginal Birth with Dr. Rixa Freeze and Dr. David Hayes
On today's podcast, we have the pleasure to talk to our honored guests, Dr. Rixa Freeze and Dr. David Hayes about breech vaginal birth. Dr. Rixa Freeze has a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa and is a researcher, professor, and mother of four children. Her current research specialization is vaginal breech birth, and she's president of Breech Without Borders, a 501(c)3 non-profit. She also blogs at Stand and Deliver. Dr. David Hayes, MD, is an OBGYN who works at Harvest Moon Women's Health with an academic background and a passion for science and its proper application to clinical medicine. Dr. Hayes has worked for Medecins Sans Frontieres, Doctors Without Borders, and is trained in critical care obstetrics. We with talk about the evidence-based research around breech vaginal birth. We also talk about their innovative approach to breech vaginal birth training with Breech Without Borders. RESOURCES: Learn more about Breech Without Borders here (https://www.breechwithoutborders.org/). Learn more about Dr. Freeze and Stand and Deliver here (https://arixa.blogspot.com). Learn more about Dr. Hayes and Harvest Moon Women's Health here (https://www.harvestmoonwomenshealth.com/). For more information and news about Evidence Based Birth®, visit www.ebbirth.com. Find us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/EvidenceBasedBirth/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ebbirth/), and Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/ebbirth/). Ready to get involved? Check out our Professional membership (including scholarship options) (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/become-pro-member/). Find an EBB Instructor here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/find-an-instructor-parents/), and click here (https://evidencebasedbirth.com/childbirth-class/) to learn more about the Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Class.


