Birthing Instincts
Birthing Instincts

Birthing Instincts

Dr. Stuart Fischbein + Midwife Blyss Young

Overview
Episodes

Details

The birth world can be overwhelming for parents and practitioners alike. Dr. Stuart Fischbein and Midwife Blyss Young and their combined 55+ years of experience are here to support you in this beautiful rite of passage.Join the weekly conversation as we blend wisdom and humor in discussing our recent births, the latest research, traditional healing, and instinctual birth.  

Recent Episodes

#401 Are We Done With Oxygen? NRP revisited with Michele Kazmier
FEB 19, 2025
#401 Are We Done With Oxygen? NRP revisited with Michele Kazmier

Join Blyss and Dr. Stu in this episode as they welcome Michele Kazmier to the show. Michele is a home birth midwife passionate about holistic neonatal transition. During the episode, she shares her insights on the NRP guidelines for newborn care, explaining why oxygen is often used for resuscitating newborns at birth instead of room air, and how to assess babies at birth to determine if they are compromised. 

Listeners will also learn about various neonatal resuscitation methods essential for the care of newborns, with a focus on providing warmth and stimulating breathing. It's crucial to allow time for bonding between the baby and the mother. Michele also offers valuable advice for midwives, emphasizing the importance of patience and calmness during this special moment for the health and well-being of everyone involved. Tune in!

About Michele Kazmier

Michele is a San Diego home birth midwife passionate about holistic neonatal transition. Her interest in neonatal care began over 30 years ago when she was a Navy Nurse in 29 Palms, CA. Faced with limited resources in a busy, remote hospital - full of growing families - she quickly realized how important her neonatal skills were to the clients she served. Since that time she has developed Baby’s Breath - a course to help parents and professionals understand physiologic newborn transition and the skills to support the vital moments following birth.

Connect with Michele


In this episode

  • Why oxygen is commonly used to resuscitate newborns at birth;
  • Explaining the different neonatal resuscitation methods;
  • How babies can be assessed at birth;
  • Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines for the care of newborns at birth;
  • The importance of being patient when welcoming a new baby at birth.


Episode resources


This show is supported by


Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

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77 MIN
#400 The Sanctity of Postpartum with Birthfit's Lindsey Matthews Cantu
FEB 12, 2025
#400 The Sanctity of Postpartum with Birthfit's Lindsey Matthews Cantu

In this episode of Birthing Instincts, Blyss and Dr. Stu welcome Lindsey Mathews Cantu, a strength and conditioning coach at Birthfit. Birthfit offers specialized strength and conditioning training tailored for mothers and their motherhood journey. Throughout the conversation, Lindsey shares her personal experience of giving birth and discusses how her philosophies influenced this meaningful moment. She also explains how her birthing experience inspired her to develop various programs and offerings at Birthfit.

Listeners will learn about the seven pillars of optimal birth and the benefits of adhering to them. According to Lindsey, several aspects are non-negotiable before, during, and after pregnancy: hydration, a well-balanced diet, quality sleep, and, of course, mild to moderate exercise. The transition into motherhood is one of the most physically and mentally demanding experiences a person can go through, and approaching it actively and thoughtfully is essential. Tune in to discover more!

About Lindsey Mathews Cantu

Doctor of Chiropractic, Strength and Conditioning Coach, NLP Practitioner, (Retired) Birth Doula, Yoga Instructor... Most important job - wife & mother.

Connect with Lindsey


In this episode

  • What are the 7 pillars of optimal birth and how you can improve them;
  • How Lindsey's philosophies influenced her own birthing experience;
  • The importance of postpartum (avoiding malnourishment);
  • Lindsey's experiences impacted her programs on Birthfit;
  • Lindsey's recommendations for postpartum;
  • Why it is important to wait 6 weeks before starting exercising again.


Episode resources


This show is supported by


Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss


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64 MIN
#399 Let's Begin Again with Zach Bush, MD
FEB 5, 2025
#399 Let's Begin Again with Zach Bush, MD

Welcome to another episode of Birthing Instincts Podcast. In this episode, Blyss and Dr. Stu welcome Zach Bush, MD, to the show. Zach is an incredible thinker and orator on many relevant topics that affect us all. The conversation ventures into the realm of maternity care, optimal health, and the medical system in general. Zach's responses to these various topics couldn't be more than eye and mind-opening.

They discuss not only maternity care but also the health of humanity and the planet as a whole since our soul is a fraction of the whole universe, and every time a birth occurs, a soul is created. Zach also shares his opinion on how we, as a society, have a fundamental failure of respect and a nature deficit disorder. Tune in to learn more!

About Zach Bush, MD

Zach Bush, MD is a renowned, multi-disciplinary physician of internal medicine, endocrinology, hospice care, and internationally recognized educator on the microbiome as it relates to human health, soil health, food systems, and a regenerative future.

Connect with Zach


In this episode

  • Zach discusses the health system and maternity care;
  • Seeing the process of fertility and pregnancy as miraculous vs. life-threatening;
  • How to understand and change a patriarchal medical system;
  • How early education plays a role in forming medical professionals;
  • Natural birth and optimal health;
  • How to find the courage to continue to speak your truth.


Episode resources

  • The best way to support Journey of Intrinsic Health is by joining one of their programs. For more information on how to join, visit journeyofintrinsichealth.com.


This show is supported by


Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

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81 MIN
#398 Bandl's Ring, like life itself, is perplexing
JAN 29, 2025
#398 Bandl's Ring, like life itself, is perplexing

Before getting into today's topic, Blyss and Dr. Stu discuss the maternity care crisis in California that has been impacting local birth centers. They explain Bandl's Ring more in-depth and explain how it's detected. Bandl's Ring is a constriction in the uterus and a sign of obstructed labor. It obstructs normal labor and can put the lower uterine segment at risk of rupture.

Although Bandl's Ring can be seen (and sometimes felt) during labor and detected using ultrasonography, its symptoms are tricky to identify. At first glance, Bandl's Ring may look like a distended bladder. Anything that leads to obstructed labor, including dehydration, is going to be a risk factor for Bandl's Ring. Therefore, a cesarean section may be necessary to avoid uterine rupture. Tune in to learn more!

In this episode

  • Blyss and Dr. Stu explain what is Bandl's Ring
  • Risk factors of Bandl's Ring
  • Does the baby's position cause Bandl's Ring?
  • How Bandl's Ring is detected (possible symptoms)


Episode resources


This show is supported by

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

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64 MIN