• 1 hour 34 minutes
    #475: Birth Story & Body Health with Holistic Aesthetician, Michelle Vaughan

    What happens when a traumatic first birth becomes the catalyst for a completely different second experience?

    This week, Blyss and Stu welcome holistic esthetician Michelle Vaughn to share the story of two births that couldn't have been more different, and how those experiences transformed not only the way she views birth, but the way she approaches health, skincare, motherhood, and everyday living.

    Michelle opens up about her husband's stage IV cancer diagnosis, the lifestyle changes that followed, and why she began questioning everything she was putting on and into her family's bodies. Together, they explore common skincare ingredients, sunscreen, deodorant, household products, and practical ways families can begin reducing toxic exposures without becoming overwhelmed.

    Whether you're interested in physiologic birth, holistic wellness, or simply making more informed choices for your family, this episode offers thoughtful conversation, personal stories, and plenty to consider.

    About Michelle

    Michelle Vaughan is a holistic esthetician with 19 years of experience, wellness educator, mom of two, and co-owner of Alma Aesthetics Organic Wellness Spa in Santa Barbara. She’s passionate about helping women and families make informed, balanced choices through holistic skincare, mindful living, and simple everyday wellness. Michelle shares her journey through motherhood, beauty, and healthy living with an approachable, evidence-informed perspective while encouraging others to feel confident in making the choices that are right for them.

    Instagram: @michellevaughanklett / @almaaesthetics

    Clean Product Recommendations:

    Primally Pure

    Earth Mama Organics

    Under Luna

    Living Libations

    Branch Basics

    Wholesome organics Code Instincts for 20% off


    References:

    Joint Statement From NACPM and NARM Regarding MEAC’s Withdrawal from U.S. Department of Education Recognition: https://www.nacpm.org/news/joint-statement-from-nacpm-and-narm


    Discussed in This Episode

    • What MEAC's withdrawal from Department of Education recognition could mean for midwifery education
    • Hospital birth versus home birth: one family's dramatically different experiences
    • Trauma, healing, and trusting the physiologic birth process
    • The connection between skincare, nutrition, inflammation, and overall wellness
    • Sunscreen, deodorant, fragrances, household products, and reducing toxic exposure
    • Simple swaps families can make without feeling overwhelmed


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    22 July 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 39 minutes
    #474: The Mystery Of Postpartum Preeclampsia

    Postpartum preeclampsia is one of the least talked about, but potentially most serious, complications after birth. This week, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss explore what we know, what we don't, and why every new mother should understand the warning signs, even after a healthy pregnancy and birth.

    Together they review the latest evidence surrounding postpartum hypertension and postpartum preeclampsia, discuss risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment options, and why postpartum care deserves far more attention than it often receives.

    Whether you're currently pregnant, postpartum, or supporting growing families, this episode offers practical information, thoughtful discussion, and an important reminder to trust your instincts when something doesn't feel right.


    References:

    Breech Birth Podcast: S5 Ep3 Midwife Blyss Young: Legal restrictions, walking through life & death & advocacy

    Postpartum preeclampsia or eclampsia: defining its place and management among the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: https://www.ajog.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0002-9378%2820%2931201-1


    Discussed in This Episode

    • Researching Postpartum Preeclampsia (PPPE)
    • PPPE Risk Factors 
    • Symptoms of PPPE And When It Hits
    • The importance of postpartum monitoring and listening to your body
    • How postpartum hypertension differs from classic preeclampsia
    • Current treatment recommendations
    • Home blood pressure monitoring
    • Recognizing warning signs
    • Is PPPE Iatrogenic?
    • Why postpartum care shouldn't end at hospital discharge


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

    •

    •

    •

    #birthinginstinctspodcast #homebirth #midwife #BirthWithoutFear #PhysiologicBirth 



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    15 July 2026, 7:00 am
  • 1 hour 16 minutes
    #473: Pursuing Peace With Courage & Confidence

    This week, we're setting aside our usual topic-driven format to share something even more meaningful: real stories from our fellow travelers.

    Join us in reading one of the most moving letters we've ever received.

    A certified nurse-midwife shares the heartbreaking story of carrying a daughter diagnosed with anencephaly. Although her daughter, Olivia, was stillborn, she describes her birth as the most beautiful experience of her life, not because of the outcome, but because she was respected, supported, and allowed to birth in a way that brought peace instead of trauma.

    This episode is full of inspiring listener stories about twin births, breech births, home birth, and the power of education to preserve options for families around the world.

    This conversation is ultimately about more than birth.

    It's about autonomy.

    It's about courage.

    And it's about remembering that even in the hardest moments, peace is still possible. 


    References:

    Mentorship with Blyss, schedule your clarity call to join at woven-moon.com

    What They Don’t Tell Us Podcast: He Was One of the Best OBs in the Country. Midwives Taught Him What He Was Missing.

    Book: Between a Shot and a Hard Place, by Joel Warsh

    @PerfectUnion on Instagram: "Watch Jacob Rockwell, a man fined for running a red light in Florida while being in Alabama, pop off against the use of the A.I. red light cameras that were used to "identify" him."

    Twin home birth: Outcomes of 100 sets of twins in the care of a single practitioner


    Discussed in This Episode

    • The growing loss of human connection in healthcare why less intervention often creates more confidence
    • Stillbirth becomes an experience of profound peace.
    • Why respectful maternity care matters
    • Twin birth stories that challenge common assumptions about "high-risk" pregnancy
    • The importance of breech birth skills and preserving birth options
    • How preparation, mindset, and autonomy shape lifelong birth memories
    • Why confidence, not fear, changes birth experiences.


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    8 July 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 14 minutes
    #472: Lupus in Pregnancy: Understanding the Risks Without the Fear

    In this episode of Birthing Instincts, Blyss and Stu take a deep dive into systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in pregnancy.

    Together they explore what lupus is, how it affects pregnancy, and what current evidence says about risks such as preeclampsia, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, stillbirth, and congenital heart block. 

    Along the way, Stu revisits the decades-old Hadlock fetal growth curve and questions whether a single growth standard can accurately reflect diverse populations around the world. The conversation highlights the importance of individualized care, informed decision-making, and understanding risk without defaulting to fear-based management.


    References:

    Instagram Live with @Kristen_Nagle

    Reclaiming Birth Gathering: reclaimingbirthconference.com

    Made For Birth Podcast: Questioning The Standard of Maternity Care 


    Discussed in This Episode

    • What systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is and how it affects pregnancy

    • Lupus flares, remission, and preconception planning

    • Preeclampsia risk in women with lupus

    • Hydroxychloroquine safety and use during pregnancy

    • Antiphospholipid antibodies and pregnancy outcomes

    • How lupus and preeclampsia can look similar

    • The limitations of the Hadlock fetal growth curve

    • Population differences in fetal growth and birth weight

    • Why individualized care matters more than blanket recommendations


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    1 July 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    #471: How Birth Shapes Mothers, Babies, and The Future, with Suzanne Arms

    This week, Blyss and Stu welcome birth pioneer, author, filmmaker, and educator Suzanne Arms, one of the most influential voices in the natural birth movement of the last half-century.

    Long before conversations about physiological birth, informed consent, and the over-medicalization of maternity care became mainstream, Suzanne was asking difficult questions. Her groundbreaking 1975 book *Immaculate Deception* challenged routine obstetrical practices and helped spark a movement that continues to influence birth professionals and families around the world.

    In this fascinating and deeply personal conversation, Suzanne shares how her own traumatic birth experience and the birth of her daughter led her to investigate maternity care practices, interview women across the country, and ultimately write one of the most important birth books ever published.

    This episode is part birth history lesson, part cultural critique, and part love letter to the women who have spent decades protecting physiological birth.


    About Suzanne Arms:

    Today on Birthing Instincts we're honored to welcome Suzanne Arms, one of the most influential voices in the natural birth movement of the last half century.

    Suzanne is an author, filmmaker, educator, and advocate whose work has helped generations of parents and birth professionals rethink pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and early bonding. She is perhaps best known for her groundbreaking book Immaculate Deception. Came out in 1975, which challenged many of the routine practices of modern maternity care, and became a catalyst for change in how birth is understood and supported. Over the decades, Suzanne has co-founded an early free-standing birth center, produced award-winning films about childbirth, and dedicated her life to exploring what she calls the primal period, the critical time from conception through a baby's first year.

    Through her organization, Birthing the Future, she continues to champion the idea that how we care for mothers and babies shapes not only individual lives, but the future of our communities and culture. Suzanne's work has inspired countless midwives, doulas, physicians, educators, and families around the world.

    Book: Immaculate deception: A new look at women and childbirth in America

    Website: birthingthefuture.org


    References:

    Jennifer Margulis, Substack - The Valorous Vagina: Babies benefit from being born vaginally (moms do too)

    The Association for Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health (APPPAH) https://birthpsychology.com/

    Pathways to Health pathwaystofamilywellness.org

    ACOG Instagram: @acog_org


    Discussed in This Episode

    The origins of Suzanne Arms' groundbreaking book “Immaculate Deception”

    The decline of midwifery and what was lost along the way

    How birth practices influence bonding, breastfeeding, and early development

    The role of fathers and partners in birth, then and now

    Why home birth rates have declined despite growing awareness

    The importance of understanding your own birth story

    How fear shapes maternity care decisions

    The connection between early life experiences, attachment, and culture

    What Suzanne believes every pregnant woman should know today

    The continuing fight to preserve physiological birth


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    24 June 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    470: "Allowed" To Birth with Documentary Filmmaker, Jacinta Lagos

    What happens when a birth photographer picks up a camera and decides she can no longer stay silent?

    This week, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss welcome Jacinta Lagos, an award-winning birth photographer, doula, filmmaker, and creator of the powerful new documentary, Allowed to Birth: The Journey of a Global Midwife.

    Born and raised in Argentina, Jacinta grew up believing cesarean birth was simply "how babies were born." After immigrating to the United States and discovering the world of birth photography, she witnessed both the beauty of physiological birth and the realities of obstetric violence. Armed with a single camera, relentless determination, and a passion for storytelling, she set out to create a documentary that challenges the stories we've been told about birth.

    Centered around the extraordinary work of global midwife Kristine Lauria, Allowed to Birth weaves together voices from around the world to explore the tension between physiology and policy, autonomy and authority, fear and trust.

    Birth belongs to women. Stories preserve wisdom. And sometimes all it takes to change hearts and minds is one person willing to press record.


    About Jacinta Lagos:

    Jacinta is an Argentinian 40 year old, a mom of 3. She's married to the guy who got a job offer in the USA and decided to move in 2017. She has had a camera in hand since ever. Video and film has always been a passion of her, since she was a little girl. Back in Argentina, she had a successful business in the wedding videography industry, and when she moved to the states with 2 little kids, she decided to stop giving away all of her weekends to attend weddings. 

    That was when she found out that birth documenting was a thing: in Argentina, that would be completely unheard of.

    She started doing birth videography and photography in 2019, got her doula training in 2020 and has attended 200 births since. She has won many awards, she's been published and is considered one of the best birth documentarians in the world. She finds birth work to be her true calling in this life.

    In 2024 started working on her first documentary feature film ""Allowed to birth: the journey of a global midwife"", which will come out at the end of the summer.


    Website: allowedtobirth.com / jacintalagos.com

    Instagram: @allowedtobirth / @jacintalagosbirthservices


    Discussed in This Episode

    Argentina's Cesarean Culture

    The surprising origin story behind the documentary Allowed to Birth

    The significance of the word "allowed" in maternity care

    Birth Around the World: Perspectives beyond American maternity care.

    The difference between hospital policy and patient rights

    Kristine Lauria's impact as a teacher and global midwife

    An award-winning documentary with one camera and determination

    The Hidden Message About Female Obstetricians

    Why documenting birth can become a powerful form of advocacy


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss

    Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    17 June 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 33 minutes
    #469: Should 38-Week Induction For Big Babies Become A Thing?

    This week, Blyss and Stu take a deep dive into the increasingly popular recommendation of inducing labor at 38 weeks for suspected “big babies”.

    Prompted by a recent social media post from a prominent obstetric influencer, they examine two studies being used to justify earlier inductions for "big babies" and ask an important question: do the data actually support the conclusions being promoted?

    Along the way, Blyss and Stu challenge listeners to look beyond headlines and social media summaries, examine how studies are designed, and consider whether interventions are being recommended based on meaningful risk reduction, or simply because they can be.

    The episode emphasizes the importance of respecting nature's design, individualizing care, and helping families understand the difference between relative risk, absolute risk, and true informed choice.


    References:

    AJOG MFM Article: Induction at 38 weeks for large-for-gestational-age or macrosomic fetuses decreases the incidence of cesarean delivery: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

    https://www.ajogmfm.org/article/S2589-9333(26)00008-X/fulltext


    The Lancet Article: Induction of labour versus standard care to prevent shoulder

    dystocia in fetuses suspected to be large for gestational age in the UK (the Big Baby trial): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial

    https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2825%2900162-X


    Birthing Instincts Podcast #431: "Hold Your Beer" It's Fetal Macrosomia Guidelines

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MJg92Du4WLUn7P8ypPBVc?si=SJ6YtH6CRMKClgCDGdXXqw


    Discussed in This Episode

    Analysis of the BIG BABY Trial

    Why statistical significance does not always equal clinical significance

    What shoulder dystocia rates actually mean

    Large-for-gestational-age (LGA) v true macrosomia

    Accuracy limitations of estimated fetal weight

    How labels like "big baby" often trigger cascades of intervention

    Differences between physiologic birth and hospital management

    What informed consent should actually look like when discussing risks

    The often-overlooked downstream consequences of routine induction


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    10 June 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 43 minutes
    #468: Everybody's Doing It", Not A Legal Standard Of Care With Hermine Hayes-Klein, ESQ.

    What happens when hospitals decide informed consent no longer applies to breech birth?

    In this powerful and deeply important episode, Blyss and Stu welcome back attorney and birth rights advocate Hermine Hayes-Klein to unpack a landmark Oregon malpractice trial centered on coercion, informed consent, and the growing normalization of mandatory cesarean sections for breech babies.

    This is not just a conversation about breech birth. It’s a conversation about power, coercion, medical culture, and whether women still have the right to make informed decisions about their own bodies during childbirth.

    If you care about birth autonomy, informed consent, or preserving disappearing birth skills, this is an episode you cannot miss.


    About Hermine Hayes-Klein:

    Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an attorney and advocate for reproductive justice and human rights in pregnancy and childbirth. Hermine works on legal actions and advocacy projects related to preventable injury and informed consent violations in childbirth, and advocacy for access to midwives and doulas around the US and beyond. Hermine began her international advocacy for the recognition of human rights in childbirth when she was teaching law at The Hague University in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 2012, and organized 6 international conferences on that topic in the US, Europe, South Africa, and India. She has worked on many cases related to breech birth for both plaintiffs and defendants.


    Website: https://fringeheals.com/

    Instagram: @fringeheals

    Blog: https://fringeheals.com/blogs/blog/tagged/womens-health.

    Email: [email protected] 


    References:

    Realfoodology Podcast - Why So Many Women End Up With C-Sections: Birth Interventions Explained with Dr. Stuart Fischbein

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HChoFaUvAmmHsGMoCRvCp?si=LHN-gYRgS_OgE6f24W2qHA


    CHD.TV segment with Stu NEEDED


    Mentorship with Blyss:  wovenmoon.com


    Elena Bridgers Substack: To Home Birth or Not to Home Birth?

    https://elenabridgers.substack.com/p/to-home-birth-or-not-to-home-birth?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=l982r


    Dr. Sara Wickham Instagram Post @drsarawickham

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DYPHRC0DPqg/?igsh=NmZwMHNpNGxiY2Vx


    Discussed in This Episode

    The dangerous misuse of the phrase “standard of care”

    Why informed consent is a legal duty, not a physician preference

    How hospital policies quietly override individualized care

    The lasting trauma many women experience during cesareans and epidurals

    The legacy and flaws of the infamous Term Breech Trial

    Why bodily autonomy in childbirth matters now more than ever


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    3 June 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 36 minutes
    #467: Magic Wand, The Benefits of Red Light Therapy With Liz Frey....

    This week, Dr. Stu and Blyss break down a recent Substack article reviewing large studies comparing planned home birth and hospital birth for low-risk women. The data? Fewer interventions, lower C-section rates, fewer infections, less hemorrhage, and fewer severe tears with planned home birth. But as always, the conversation goes deeper, into absolute vs. relative risk, the infamous cascade of interventions, postpartum trauma, and why hospitals continue doubling down on systems that many families no longer trust.

    Later in the episode, pelvic health physiotherapist and Fringe medical director Liz Frey joins the podcast for a fascinating discussion on pelvic floor dysfunction, postpartum recovery, menopause, prolapse, incontinence, breathing mechanics, and why so many women are told their symptoms are “normal” when they’re actually treatable. Liz also explains how red light, near-infrared, and blue light therapy may support healing, tissue health, pain relief, intimacy, and recovery through Fringe’s pelvic wand technology.

    This is a wide-ranging conversation about birth, healing, autonomy, and what happens when women finally start getting the support they actually deserve.


    About Liz Frey:

    Liz is a clinic owner and practicing pelvic health physiotherapist. As an orthopaedic and pelvic health physiotherapist, Liz’s practice focuses on helping women navigate pregnancy, menopause, and everything in between.

    Liz is always keen to explore and integrate evidence-based products into her pelvic health practice. Which led her to become the Women’s Health Medical Director at Fringe - a company that believes in helping people heal naturally.

    Website: https://fringeheals.com/ Code birthinginstincts10 for 10% off

    Instagram: @fringeheals

    Blog: https://fringeheals.com/blogs/blog/tagged/womens-health.

    Email: [email protected] 


    References:

    Realfoodology Podcast - Why So Many Women End Up With C-Sections: Birth Interventions Explained with Dr. Stuart Fischbein

    https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HChoFaUvAmmHsGMoCRvCp?si=LHN-gYRgS_OgE6f24W2qHA


    CHD.TV segment with Stu NEEDED


    Mentorship with Blyss: wovenmoon.com


    Elena Bridgers Substack: To Home Birth or Not to Home Birth?

    https://elenabridgers.substack.com/p/to-home-birth-or-not-to-home-birth?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=l982r


    Dr. Sara Wickham Instagram Post @drsarawickham

    https://www.instagram.com/p/DYPHRC0DPqg/?igsh=NmZwMHNpNGxiY2Vx


    Discussed in This Episode

    Home birth vs. hospital birth outcomes

    Relative risk vs. absolute risk in birth statistics

    Hospital birth culture and liability-driven care

    Pelvic floor dysfunction after birth

    Incontinence, prolapse, and pelvic pain

    Menopause and pelvic health

    Breathwork and diaphragmatic function

    Red light and blue light pelvic therapy

    Pelvic floor physiotherapy explained

    Why postpartum recovery deserves more attention


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    27 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 26 minutes
    #466: Update On The Use Of TXA (Tranexamic Acid)

    What happens when a medication designed to stop hemorrhage quietly starts creeping into routine birth care?

    This week, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss take on TXA (tranexamic acid), what it is, when it actually makes sense, and why they’re increasingly concerned about how it’s being used in modern maternity care.

    From postpartum hemorrhage protocols to the growing push for prophylactic use during cesareans and even BEFORE birth, this conversation digs into the science, the politics, and the unintended consequences nobody seems willing to talk about.

    Along the way, they tackle the bigger issue underneath it all: Who gets to define “safe” birth care? Hospital systems? Bureaucrats? International organizations? Or the people actually attending births?


    References:

    Evidence Based Birth Podcast Episode 396 - Inequities in VBAC Access with Dr. Nicholas Rubashkin, MD, PhD

    https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ebb-396-inequities-in-vbac-access-with-dr-nicholas/id1334808138?i=1000764260687


    Mom who sued the State of Nebraska in home birth case delivers baby

    https://nebraskapublicmedia.org/en/news/news-articles/mom-who-sued-the-state-of-nebraska-in-home-birth-case-delivers-baby/


    Home births to resume after safety concerns

    https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/home-births-resumed-safety-concerns-183648374.html


    Practice Bulletin No. 183: Postpartum Hemorrhage: https://journals.lww.com/greenjournal/abstract/2017/10000/practice_bulletin_no__183__postpartum_hemorrhage.56.aspx


    Effect of early tranexamic acid administration on mortality, hysterectomy, and other morbidities in women with post-partum hemorrhage (WOMAN): an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial:

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28456509/


    Efficacy of prophylactic tranexamic acid among parturient at increased risk for postpartum hemorrhage undergoing cesarean delivery: A systematic review and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials

    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41066405/


    Discussed in This Episode

    The Momnibus Act & the Future of Midwifery

    TXA Enters the Midwifery World

    What TXA Actually Does in the Body

    The Evidence Behind TXA for Hemorrhage

    Why Routine Prophylactic TXA Raises Concerns

    Does TXA Cross the Placenta?

    Four Ts of Postpartum Hemorrhage

    Why Timing Matters in Hemorrhage Care

    Defining “High Risk” in Birth

    Use of Oral and Intermuscular TXA


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    20 May 2026, 10:00 am
  • 1 hour 34 minutes
    #465: For All The Midwives In Texas: Fighting Injustice with Salli Gonzalez & Octavia Martinez, Esq

    In this week’s episode, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss sit down with Texas midwife Salli Gonzalez and attorney Octavia Martinez to unpack a case that should concern not only licensed midwives, but anyone with a license.

    Together they discuss what happens when a midwife follows protocol, transfers appropriately, and still becomes the target?

    What happens when unverified screenshots, incomplete records, and social media comments are used to justify suspending a license, without a trial?

    And more importantly, what does this mean for the future of midwifery?

    This conversation goes beyond the case of one midwife, and beyond what is happening in Texas. This is about the direction birth care is heading in the U.S and why we all need to pay attention.


    About Salli:

    My love of birth started with my own births, the first on in a typical hospital system, birthing in lithotomy in the OR in 1984. The second baby I chose a birth center and decided to take more control of my choices in birth. I gave birth in a birth center under my own terms, which included eating and drinking in labor, moving with the contractions instead of being tied to the bed with monitors, no IV and limited vaginal exams. This birth propelled me to want to share with the world that birth doesn’t have to be traumatic nor painful. I set out to educate the world, as I had four more babies at home, one of which included a breech birth under qualified hands.  

    It’s been my life’s work to uphold birth as a normal and natural process of the female body. I’ve taken the steps to attend as many emergency skills preparedness workshops as I can as well as many breech and twin conferences as possible. I’ve also mentored and offered my assistance to newer midwives who are also interested in learning. We are always learning and renewing our skills in midwifery. Midwifery is the future of our country. Without midwifery the true nature of women’s autonomy will be lost. 

    Instagram: @for_the_love_of_birth

    GoFundMe: gofund.me/a54e40705


    About Octavia:

    Professional Background

    A graduate of The University of Virginia and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Octavia began her career in Phoenix. As a felony prosecutor and civil litigator, she handled high-stakes matters ranging from commercial trucking defense to complex medical malpractice.

    Her time on the defense side — working alongside institutional defendants and their counsel — gave her an understanding of how those cases are built, where the vulnerabilities lie, and what separates the attorneys who win from the ones who simply file. She brought that knowledge with her when she crossed to the plaintiff's side.

    The Move to Texas

    Bringing this diverse experience to the Rio Grande Valley, Octavia expanded her practice to meet the border region's unique needs. Her scope grew to cover defamation, and specialized defense for medical providers, including physicians and midwives.

    South Texas presented a client population that had historically been underserved by high-quality legal representation — complex multigenerational estates, a healthcare industry with its own licensing ecosystem, and individuals whose situations required an attorney willing to engage the full weight of the law on their behalf.

    Launch of the Firm

    Octavia later paused her legal career to focus on stewardship: homeschooling her children and managing her family's homestead farm. However, she reactivated her license to assist a client whose legal matters had stagnated under conventional representation. That crisis highlighted the urgent need for uncompromised advocacy, leading to the launch of Octavia LaVon Martinez PLLC.

    Today, she has become a resource for clients who seek an alternative to the status quo — clients who have been failed by passive representation, whose matters are too complex for a generalist, or who simply need an attorney who will fight with the same conviction they feel about their own case.

    Website: octaviamartinezlaw.com

    X: @OctaviaLaVon


    References:

    Sham Peer Review: The Leave-of-Absence Trap

    Expedited Motion for Hearing (PDF)

    Facebook Post and Comments

    Facebook Comment #2

    Media Release: TDLR Suspends Midwife’s License Following Maternal and Infant Deaths

    KLTV Texas midwife requests state to reinstate license amid death investigations


    Support Salli: Defend Her Midwifery License gofund.me/a54e40705


    Discussed in This Episode

    Midwives under fire, and why this isn’t just a Texas problem

    What actually happened in the case of Salli Gonzalez

    When outcomes don’t have clear causes, who gets blamed?

    The Legal Reality of what is happening

    Social Media as “Evidence”?

    Anonymous posts, cropped screenshots, and missing context

    Why this case could affect doctors, lawyers, and beyond

    Licensing doesn’t mean protection


    Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 


    This show is supported by


    Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



    Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
    13 May 2026, 10:00 am
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