Midwifery Wisdom Podcast

In this beautiful and powerful episode, host Augustine sits down with Eva Rose — Norwegian birth photographer, doula, advocate, documentarian, and creator of Birth Mood — for a conversation that spans birth rooms, operating theatres, Ethiopian hospitals, and the fragile future of midwifery-led care across the globe.Eva has been attending births for nearly 30 years, building one of the most extraordinary visual archives of physiological birth in the world — and along the way becoming an unstoppable voice for women's birth rights and informed consent.In this episode we cover:How witnessing her baby sister's home birth at age seven — and growing up in a family of photographers — set Eva on her pathHow a midwife told Eva "you are a doula" — and what happened nextThe closure of ABC, Norway's most beloved midwifery-led unit, and how Norway went from 70 such units to just fourWhy Norwegian hospitals profit from over-medicalizing birth even within a free public healthcare systemThe fetal scalp electrode post that went viral globally — and why Norwegian midwives were furiousHow Eva's role as a doula shifted from loving birth companion to consent advocateThe mother-assisted cesarean in the Netherlands — and Eva's mission to bring it to NorwayBirth culture across countries — the stark difference between consent practices in Norway, the UK, and SwitzerlandBirth Around the World — selling everything to document birth globally before COVID shut it downFundal pressure in Ethiopia and Eva's campaign to make it illegal worldwideBurnout, her lowest two years, and what slowing down has taught herBirth Mood — the visual birth preparation course now used by birthing women, midwives, and doctors worldwideResources & Links:📸 Follow Eva: @evarosebirth on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook🏡 Join our community: skool.com/midwiferywisdom🌿 Midwifery Wisdom Collective: midwiferywisdomcollective.com

In this wide-ranging and utterly fascinating episode, host Augustine sits down with Vandana — doctor, public health expert, MBA, entrepreneur, beekeeper, candle maker, and one of the most multi-dimensional humans to ever grace this podcast. Born and raised in Bangalore, India, now based on Long Island, New York, Vandana has spent over two decades working across 13 countries in disaster zones, war zones, and underserved communities — always following the woman, always asking: what does she actually need to thrive?This conversation moves from the villages of rural India to the boardrooms of global philanthropy, from beehives in Brooklyn to the operating table, and from the burnout of nonprofit founderitis to the liberating power of learning to ask. There is so much in this episode for midwives, birth workers, nonprofit founders, and anyone who has ever built something from scratch and wondered why it won't grow.Resources & Links:🌐 Learn more about Komselj: https://www.komselj.com/ 🏡 Join our Skool community: skool.com/midwiferywisdom 🌿 Midwifery Wisdom Collective: midwiferywisdomcollective.com 

In today's episode, host Augustine sits down with Kayla Branstetter — English instructor, TEDx speaker, doctoral candidate in healthcare education, and author of the forthcoming book Don't Be an Athena — for a conversation that sits right at the intersection of storytelling, reproductive trauma, and the future of patient-centered care.Kayla's work in narrative medicine is a beautiful reminder that behind every chart, every lab result, and every clinical encounter is a human being with a story that deserves to be heard. And for midwives and birth workers who already know this in their bones — this episode gives you the language, the research, and the tools to do it even better.In this episode we cover:What narrative medicine actually is — and why it's been around for centuries, we're just now naming itKayla's personal journey through her mother's teen pregnancy, her own infertility and miscarriage, and how storytelling found herHow a patient's chart tells a story — and what we miss when we only look at the numbersThe growing mistrust between the medical community and patients — and what narrative medicine offers as a bridgeHow providers can support traumatized clients after unwished-for birth outcomes — including the power of offering writing as an alternative to talkingObstetric violence, medical gaslighting, and what patients can actually do — from documenting their experience to filing grievances and amending their own medical recordsHow a midwife or doula can be a powerful patient advocate in the aftermath of traumaVicarious and secondary trauma in providers — and how narrative medicine workshops create space for clinicians to reflect and healThe myth of Medusa and Athena — and why Kayla's book asks us to stop turning survivors into monstersWhy medical humanities is on the rise — and the medical school built next to an art museum that's changing how future doctors are trainedResources & Links:📖 Pre-order Don't Be an Athena by Kayla Branstetter — available July 20th on Amazon and in independent bookstores 🌐 Follow Kayla: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn — search Kayla Branstetter 🎤 Watch Kayla's TEDx Talk on narrative medicine and reproductive trauma 🏡 Join our community: skool.com/midwiferywisdom

This episode of the Midwifery Wisdom Podcast is a beautiful, globe-spanning conversation about what happens when birth workers step out of their comfort zones. Host Chetana sits down with Brooke, a US-based midwife, and Johanna, the founder of a birthing clinic in India, to discuss the "sisterhood of midwives," cultural humility, and the universal language of birth.In This Episode, We Cover:From Opera and Animals to Midwifery: The unconventional paths that led Brooke (a former vet tech) and Johanna (a former opera singer) to birth work.Navigating the Indian Medical System: Johanna discusses the challenges of running Jeevalaya Birthing Home and the "diplomacy" required to advocate for gentle birth in a rigid obstetric environment.A Journey to Papua, Indonesia: Chetna shares her experience volunteering at a remote, non-profit birth center and the differences between physiologic birth and the mainstream medical model in Indonesia.The Global Epidemic of Anemia: A clinical discussion on why low hemoglobin is a worldwide challenge and how different systems address it.Cultural Competency vs. Connection: Brooke shares a moving story about attending a twin breech birth for a Ukrainian refugee family without a common language, proving that being "with woman" transcends words.High-Tech Solutions: A look at how real-time translation earbuds are changing the game for international midwifery care.Key Takeaways"Don't go thinking you are going to teach somebody else. You should be going open and receptive to what they can teach you... checking our ego at the door." — BrookeMidwifery is a Versatile Species: Whether it's navigating "midwifery deserts" or adjusting to spicy local diets, midwives are uniquely equipped to blend into and serve diverse communities.The Power of Presence: In many cultures, the most radical intervention a midwife can offer is simply holding a hand, looking into a mother's eyes, and returning her agency.Bridging the Gap: International collaboration isn't just about sharing clinical skills; it's about providing the emotional support and "sisterhood" that keeps birth workers sustainable.Resources MentionedJeevalaya Birthing Home: Johanna’s clinic providing care to marginalized women in India.Timekettle Translation Earbuds: The tech Brooke uses to communicate with her Slavic-speaking clients in real-time.Midwifery Travel Experience August 2026This 2-week experience takes you to Angel Hiromi Bhumi Sehat (AHBS), the only midwife-led birth center in Papua, Indonesia. Set near the stunning Lake Sentani, AHBS serves indigenous families who often travel long distances to access respectful, midwifery-centered care.

Are you managing your life rather than living it? In this episode, Augustine sits down with Kristen Brickl, an intuitive licensed professional counselor, to explore the transformative journey of women in midlife. They dive deep into the "Good Girl" arc—how childhood conditioning leads to adult over-functioning, people-pleasing, and eventually, physical and emotional burnout.Specifically tailored for midwives and high-pressure caregivers, this conversation explores why "self-care" isn't just a luxury but a professional necessity. Kristen shares how our nervous systems impact not just our own health, but the way we co-regulate with the families we serve. If you’ve ever felt like you’re "giving from an empty cup" or losing your passion for your calling, this episode is a permission slip to stop, breathe, and reclaim your joy.Key HighlightsThe Evolution of the Martyr: How the "Good Girl" of childhood becomes the "People Pleaser" of young adulthood and the "Over-functioning Martyr" of midlife.The Power of the Whisper: Recognizing the subtle signs of burnout before they turn into a "cosmic two-by-four" (health crises or autoimmune issues).The "Pause" Practice: A simple, transformative tool to reset your nervous system in the middle of a chaotic day or between client calls.Reparenting Your Inner Mean Girl: Shifting your internal monologue from criticism to the "loving bosom" of the Wise Adult.The Liminal Space: Navigating the "cringey" discomfort of transition—that moment in the birth canal of your own life where you can’t go back, but can’t yet see the way forward.Channel vs. Source: A revolutionary mindset shift for caregivers: how to be a channel for service without becoming the depleted source of it.Perinatal Psychology & Attachment: How a caregiver’s distracted or overwhelmed state affects a newborn’s ability to form secure attachments.Resources MentionedBook: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk.Course: Boundaries for BirthworkersConnect with Kristen BricklWebsite: KristenBrickl.comInstagram: @kristen.bricklWant more? Join our Skool community to access 90% of our CEU courses and more!MWC Spring Break Sale! Course Bundles, Midwifery Equipment and more - upto 80% off!