Pregnancy is a steeeep learning curve for most of us. With only a few short months to cram it all in, there is a certain urgency to understand sooo many new and superimportant things. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Arming yourself with knowledge, however, is the antidote to fear and anxiety.
Reading books is time-intensive, and some people just don’t have the patience for book-learning. While I highly recommend that my doula clients attend a childbirth education course, it’s not always possible due to scheduling or financial constraints, or because group classes are not your snack bracket. Websites and apps only take you so far.
But today there’s another great option for expanding your horizons when you’re expecting a baby – podcasts. It’s easy to sample different approaches and opinions without a huge commitment in either time or money. You can focus your attention on the topics that are most relevant to you. I love to listen to podcasts when I’m doing chores around the house. Most are short enough to digest while you’re commuting to work. You can share a favourite episode with your birth partner, and discuss what you each thought about it when you’re together.
Where to start? I polled my doula peeps and came up with the following list of our very favourite tried and tested birth and parenting podcasts. Each of them will provide you with solid information about a variety of birth options from both moms in the field and trusted birth pros.
Mothers telling their birth stories in their own voices. There are literally hundreds to choose from. You could listen to one a day til your baby comes and not run out of inspiration. Every possible kind of birth is included – vaginal, cesarean, multiples, epidurals, natural, inductions, hospital, home, birth centre and more.
The tagline of this podcasts is “talking with pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, postpartum & parenting pros to inform your intuition.” Host Adriana Lozada is a doula, postpartum educator and healthy-sleep consultant who pulls in the best pros in the birth world to give you up-to-date, evidence-based information so you can make the choices that are right for you and your family.
Empowered and autonomous birth for women who believe in the inherent wisdom of their bodies and babies. From radical American midwife and birthkeeper Maryn Green at Indiebirth.
Co-hosted by Dr. Stuart Fischbein, an California OB, and lactation consultant and doula Kimberly Durdin. Dr. Stu is a activist and advocate for evidence-based choice in VBAC, breech and twin vaginal birth, who truly respects women’s agency and choice.
This list wouldn’t be complete without Gena Kirby! She is a heart-of-gold doula and educator, serving up a passionate viewpoints on all things birth with her signature funky and irreverent style. If you self-identify as “badass”, this is the birth podcast for you.
Hosted by Dr. Jay Warren, prenatal & pediatric chiropractor at the Cap Wellness Center in Encinitas, CA. Features interviews with leading experts in the prenatal, natural childbirth and pediatric care fields, including specialists in obstetrics, midwifery, lactation, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, yoga, and birth education.
Co-hosted by a doula and a labour & delivery nurse for a balanced perspective. Creating connection through sharing candid birth stories.
If things are getting a little too serious, you need this sistergirlfriend-doula-and-midwife duo. Light and fun, dishing out how to realistically prepare in natural ways.”
What are you listening to? Share a link to your favourite birth podcasts or episodes in the comments below.
I have created a podcast about pregnancy, birth and new babies. I would encourage you to check it out to see if you like it. Transition to Parenthood is available on all major podcasting platforms. My goal was to have a concise way of learning all the key information you need to know to prepare for a birth – In ten 20-minute episodes, I cover stages of labor, maternity care practices, coping with labor pain, pain medications, baby’s first hour, caring for a newborn, and adapting to life with baby. I’m a childbirth educator, doula, mom of three, and co-author (with Penny Simkin) of Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn. Learn more: https://transitiontoparenthood.wordpress.com/podcast/