Birthing Instincts

Coming to you from Ashland, Oregon, following a special screening of Allowed to Birth: The Journey of a Global Midwife, we're joined by filmmaker Jacinta Lagos, birth rights attorney Hermine Hayes-Klein, and a room full of passionate birth workers, parents, and advocates who aren't afraid to ask some uncomfortable questions.Who decides what's considered the "standard of care"? What happens when hospital policies conflict with informed consent? And have we created a maternity care system so afraid of birth that we've forgotten how to support it?We talk about the disappearing skills of obstetrics, the legal pressures facing midwives, the importance of protecting women's autonomy, and why collaboration, not competition, may be the key to preserving meaningful choices in birth.This was more than a film screening. It was a gathering of people who believe birth can, and should, be different.Discussed in This EpisodeDr. Stu's Journey: How Midwives Changed His PracticeLearning from Mothers and Listening to WomenThe Inspiration Behind Allowed to BirthWhen Medical Recommendations Become ThreatsWhy Documenting Birth MattersWho Really Defines the Standard of Care?Finding Your People: Community Beyond GeographyHorizontal Violence and Unity Among MidwivesProtecting Midwifery Through Collective AdvocacyWhen Hospital Policies Override Individualized CarePodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byTallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your orderLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% offConnect with Dr. Stu and BlyssJoin our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcastInstagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.comEmail: [email protected] webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.comSubscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

One embryo. Two babies. And a birth story that challenges just about everything we've been taught about twins.What happens when a woman trusts her body, questions the system, and refuses to let fear write her birth story?This week, Blyss and I welcome Ashley, whose journey to motherhood took more than a few unexpected turns. After eight years of trying to conceive, an IVF transfer led to a surprise no one quite knew how to explain. But that was only the beginning.What followed was a roller coaster of medical warnings, conflicting opinions, a midwifery team that dropped her by text, and a determination to birth on her own terms.And just when you think you've heard it all, wait until you hear how these two little girls finally entered the world.This is more than a twin birth story. It's a conversation about intuition, informed choice, the limitations of modern obstetrics, and what becomes possible when we stop treating every variation of normal as a pathology.Blyss was there for the birth, and I'm hearing much of the story for the first time. Believe me, it's a good one.Are we protecting women from risk, or are we sometimes protecting the system from allowing women to choose?Pull up a chair, fellow travelers. You won't want to miss this one.About Ashley ShefferAshley is a mother, creative spirit, and self-described “ever-changing goddess” whose journey has taken her through the worlds of natural health and wellness, entrepreneurship, technology, and music. After years of wearing many different hats, she's now embracing her favorite role yet: being a mom.With a deep connection to nature, intuition, and holistic living, Ashley has traded the hustle of city life for a quieter existence surrounded by woods, chickens, and family. Her journey through motherhood has been anything but conventional, and her extraordinary twin birth story is a beautiful reflection of her belief in trusting her body and following her own path.Instagram: @ashleyshefferReferences:TWIN HOME BIRTH: OUTCOMES OF 100 SETS OF TWINS IN THE CARE OF A SINGLE PRACTITIONERhttps://bit.ly/twinhomebirthDr. Stu’s Podcast #124: Sara’s Storyhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-stus-podcast-124-saras-story/id1552816683?i=1000508761525Discussed in This EpisodeBreaking Generational TraumaHave Women Been Conditioned to Ignore Their Instincts?Meditation, Manifestation, and Changing Your MindsetFree Birth, Feminism, and Women's AutonomyAcknowledging Risk Without Letting Fear LeadWhat Happens When Partners Disagree About Birth?Learning to Welcome the UnknownHow Birth Preparation Can Transform MotherhoodPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byTallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your orderLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% offConnect with Dr. Stu and BlyssJoin our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcastInstagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.comEmail: [email protected] webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.comSubscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Can we prepare for the birth we want while still surrendering to the birth we get?Our guest, Jenée Carlson, experienced two births that couldn't have been more different. Her first was a home birth filled with suffering. Her second? A free birth she describes as completely painless, peaceful, and blissful.Same woman. Same body. So what changed?Jenée joins us to explore the power of our beliefs, the conditioning that teaches women to distrust their instincts, and what happens when we stop outsourcing our authority to everyone else.We get into manifestation, meditation, generational trauma, the uncomfortable truth about personal responsibility, and why some people seem downright offended when another woman has a beautiful birth experience.About JenéeJenée is a prenatal mentor helping women across the globe align with their dream birth experience through intentional mindset shifts, paradigm transformation, guided meditation, & nervous system regulation. Her work bridges neuroscience & intuition, helping women understand how their beliefs, thoughts, & emotions can shape their birth experience. She guides women to reconnect with possibility & consciously create the experience they desire.After experiencing two profoundly contrasting births—from a homebirth full of suffering to a freebirth that was completely PAINLESS, calm, & filled with bliss—Jenée discovered firsthand that a difficult birth experience does not have to define what is possible in the future. That transformation changed the course of her life & her work.Since then, she has supported women from Mexico to Australia, & across the United States. Her experiences have shaped an empowerment-based framework, that provides women with the tools to approach their birth experience with greater awareness, intention, & trust.Website: JeneeCarlson.comInstagram: @Jeneecarlson14References:Dr. Stu’s Podcast #162: Let’s Talk About Skyehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-stus-podcast-162-lets-talk-about-skye/id1552816683?i=1000508761647Birthing Instincts #314 Low Platelets & Deficiencies of Wisdomhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/314-low-platelets-deficiencies-of-wisdom/id1552816683?i=1000617828516BroadandLiberty.com: Midwives, doctors discuss home birthshttps://broadandliberty.com/2026/10/05/midwives-doctors-discuss-home-births/28 Pennsylvania Code Chapter 137https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter137/028_0137.pdfPain Perception in Advanced meditators https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23000783/Rewired by Dr. Joe Dispenza https://www.gaia.com/series/rewiredReclaiming Birthhttps://www.reclaimingbirthconference.com/Discussed in This EpisodeBreaking Generational TraumaHave Women Been Conditioned to Ignore Their Instincts?Meditation, Manifestation, and Changing Your MindsetFree Birth, Feminism, and Women's AutonomyAcknowledging Risk Without Letting Fear LeadWhat Happens When Partners Disagree About Birth?Learning to Welcome the UnknownHow Birth Preparation Can Transform MotherhoodPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byTallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your orderLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% offConnect with Dr. Stu and BlyssJoin our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcastInstagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.comEmail: [email protected] webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.comSubscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What if the answer to our mental health crisis isn't another prescription?We're living in a world where depression, anxiety, and loneliness are seemingly everywhere. And somehow, despite more diagnoses, more medications, and more money being poured into mental health treatment, we're still struggling. So what exactly are we missing?This week, investigative journalist Jeffrey Jaxon of The HighWire joins Blyss and Dr. Stu for a conversation that might make you rethink everything you thought you knew about mental health.From the chemical imbalance theory and the uncomfortable questions surrounding SSRIs to the pharmaceutical industry's influence on medicine, Jeffrey isn't afraid to go where mainstream conversations often won't.We're not suggesting medication never has a place. We're asking whether we've forgotten that healing involves more than a prescription.Because maybe the real mental health crisis isn't just about what's happening in our brains. Maybe it's about what we've lost along the way.Join us for a conversation that challenges the narrative, asks uncomfortable questions, and reminds us that being human is about more than just managing symptoms.About Jefferey JaxenJefferey Jaxen is a veteran investigative journalist covering medical, health and a limitless array of breaking news. Also featured in his weekly segment, The Jaxen Report on The HighWire. An accomplished documentary film maker, his film series Jefferey Jaxen Investigates exposes the compelling topics of our time. Website: TheHighWire.com / highwire.plusSubstack: substack.com/@jeffereyjaxenInstagram: @realjeffereyjaxenReferences:https://thehighwire.com/plus/show/jefferey-jaxen-investigates/https://thehighwire.com/plus/video/jefferey-jaxen-investigates-the-mental-health-crisis-part-1/https://jeffereyjaxen.substack.com/p/watch-new-episode-of-the-download-288https://thehighwire.com/the-download/The Isabella Brown Show: How SSRIs Are Silently Destroying Gen Z, One Zoloft at a Time ft. Lauren Friedman https://open.spotify.com/episode/4NGoUjOkCEQkMlKZC3pFhJ?si=glcoypyGTgy-fMMP-49LbATreatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartumhttps://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2023/06/treatment-and-management-of-mental-health-conditions-during-pregnancy-and-postpartumAn Inconvenient Studyhttps://www.aninconvenientstudy.com/Discussed in This EpisodeWhat Is the Mental Health Crisis?Social Media, Dopamine, and the Changing BrainPersonal Responsibility in a Medicated WorldSSRIs, Prozac, and the Questions We Should Be AskingBig Pharma, Medical Journals, and the Power of MarketingWhen SSRIs Help: Understanding the Risks and BenefitsWhat Happens When You Stop Taking SSRIs?Beyond the Pill: Sunlight, Movement, Sleep, and Purpose Ayahuasca, Psychedelics, and a Different Approach to HealingPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byTallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your orderLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% offConnect with Dr. Stu and BlyssJoin our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcastInstagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.comEmail: [email protected] webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.comSubscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Listen to women.Seems simple enough. And yet, here we are.This week, the stories in our inbox keep bringing us back to the same uncomfortable truth: women know when something feels wrong. They know their bodies. They know their babies. They know their histories. And far too often, instead of being listened to, they're dismissed, frightened, managed, or told that someone else knows better.One mother screamed that she could feel her cesarean, and was told, “There’s no way she feels that.”Another was sent down the familiar rabbit hole of scans, labels, scary possibilities, and intervention because her baby measured small… while seemingly no one stopped to consider that maybe small parents sometimes make small babies.And then there's a twin home birth that ends in unimaginable loss—a story that challenges the idea that a tragic outcome automatically means someone made the wrong choice. Sometimes everyone does everything right, and tragedy still happens.These are the stories we need to be willing to hear. Not just the beautiful births. Not just the outcomes that validate what we already believe. All of them.Because informed consent means listening. Individualized care means listening. Supporting women means listening.And maybe if we did a little more of that, we'd need a whole lot less fixing afterward.References:FriYAY! Instagram.com/birthinginstinctsAllowed to Birth Ashland Screeninghttps://www.birthinginstinctspodcast.com/event-details-registration/allowed-to-birth-movie-screeningJehovah’s Witnesses allow blood-derived products but keep ban on whole-blood transfusionshttps://www.statnews.com/2026/09/19/jehovahs-witnesses-blood-derived-products-transfusions/Birthing Instincts Podcast #314 Low Platelets & Deficiencies of Wisdomhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/1bMKgk1ZKtcI0QDQWCZtpT?si=3fb0f5eaad2445fbGlucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Adverse Maternal Pregnancy Outcomeshttps://www.ovid.com/jnls/greenjournal/fulltext/10.1097/aog.0000000000006363~glucagon-like-peptide-1-receptor-agonists-and-risk-ofThe Retrievals Season 2https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gzGsdfFnFUeREYclQlYv8?si=sCc_o2mYSoOGl434Tz1uqANeonatal and obstetric outcomes following periconceptional exposure to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: a systematic review and meta-analysishttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000293782600222XDiscussed in This EpisodeWhen Cutting the Cord Becomes the EmergencyMaternity Care Is DisappearingThe Shopping Center Breech BabyExperiencing Loss and Questioning EverythingThe Midwife Who Did Exactly What She Was Supposed to DoOne Ultrasound Finding, One Very Familiar CascadeYou Don't Have to Be a “Perfect Goddess” to Deserve Individualized CareGLP-1s and Pregnancy: What Does the Evidence Actually Say?A Mother Feels Her Cesarean After Epidural FailsPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byTallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your orderLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% offConnect with Dr. Stu and BlyssJoin our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcastInstagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.comEmail: [email protected] webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.comSubscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands