In this first of a three-part series, Blyss sits with Raven Lang — one of the most influential midwives in America and author of The Birth Book (1972). Often credited with sparking the home birth revival on the West Coast, Raven’s voice and vision helped lay the foundation for modern midwifery in the United States. Her groundbreaking Birth Book became a touchstone for countless families and midwives seeking alternatives to hospital birth, and her ideas on imprinting and the formation of motherly love changed how generations would understand the postpartum bond.This episode sets the stage for the next two parts of Raven’s remarkable story.Raven SharesShe shares about her upbringing in San Francisco’s North Beach,her struggles with childhood illness and Catholic schooling, andthe fierce independence that shaped her feminist awakening.Raven reflects on her first birth at Stanford in 1968 — an experience both empowering and unsettling — that propelled her into childbirth education, goat-keeping, and eventually attending births in Santa Cruz.Mentioned in this EpisodeThe Birth Book by Raven LangImmaculate Deception by Suzanne ArmsChildbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-ReadPainless Childbirth by Fernand LamazePeter Nash – California physician who briefly attended home birthsThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this episode of At Her Feet, Ellen Levitt, LM, shares the winding path that brought her from Long Island to San Francisco in the 1980s—and into the heart of the home birth movement. Her story carries us through the political battles that shaped California midwifery, the grassroots collectives that built community, and the deeply personal experiences of loss, motherhood, and resilience that continue to shape her as a midwife.Ellen’s voice is both practical and soulful: she recalls the adrenaline of her first emergency birth call as an EMT, the hard-won fight for licensure that made her the seventh licensed midwife in California, and the ways her own family story—including adoption, loss, and queer parenthood—have infused her work with empathy and depth.Ellen Shares:Growing up in New York, hitchhiking west, and landing in San Francisco’s queer community in 1985.Witnessing birth for the first time as an EMT call—and realizing, “why go to the hospital?”Apprenticeships with Bay Area midwives and training at birth centers in Texas and Florida.The six-year grassroots campaign that secured California licensure, and becoming license #7.Shifts in scope of practice over the decades—twins, breeches, VBACs, and changing state restrictions.Building the Bay Area Home Birth Collective and nurturing a supportive midwifery community.Her personal journey into motherhood through adoption, surrogacy with her sister, and pregnancy loss.The gift of breastfeeding her adopted son with the help of donated milk and lactation support.Herbs, homeopathy, and the evolution of midwives’ birth bags—what was gained and what may have been lost.Reflections on activism, peer review, free birth, and the ongoing tension between traditional and medicalized midwifery.Training nearly 20 midwives who now practice across the Bay Area, carrying her legacy forward.Ellen’s GBS ProtocolMentioned in This Episode:Nancy Fredrick & Erin Carney – midwives of Labor of Love, Ellen’s first apprenticeship.Shannon Anton – midwife and founder of the National Midwifery Institute.Elizabeth Davis – influential Bay Area teacher and author.Linda Bennett – elder midwife; listen to her episode here.Brenda Capps – elder midwife; listen to her episode here.Gail Hart – elder Oregon midwife; listen to her episode here.Raven Lang – Santa Cruz midwife, author of The Birth Book (her interview will air in an upcoming episode).Bay Area Home Birth Collective – co-founded by Ellen, Shannon Anton, Maria Iorillo, and Danu Calderon.BooksOur Bodies, Ourselves – seminal feminist health guide that shaped Ellen’s early awareness.Herbs & HomeopathyBlue Cohosh, Black Cohosh, Cotton Root Bark.Cinnamon & Cayenne.Sabina, Secale cornutum, Caulophyllum.Chinese “Red Pill” formulas (e.g. Yunnan Baiyao).PharmaceuticalsPitocin (oxytocin).Misoprostol (Miso).Tranexamic Acid (TXA).Hands-On SkillsUterine massage.Bi-manual compression — rarely used, only in severe cases.Folk/traditional methods such as placenta in the cheek, pulling pubic hair, and verbal encouragement to help stop bleeding.Ellen’s GBS ProtocolThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this intimate conversation, Blyss visits the home of Jan Tritten—midwife, visionary, and the founding editor of Midwifery Today magazine. Surrounded by her garden, animals, and family history, Jan reflects on a life devoted to birth, storytelling, and community.From her own births to attending dozens within a birth co-op, Jan found her calling not only in midwifery but in weaving together the voices of others. Through Midwifery Today and its global conferences, she became what she calls the “mother” of a movement—holding space for wisdom, tradition, and connection across generations.Jan Shares:How a traumatic hospital birth became the fuel for her lifetime of advocacy.The early days of home birth in Northern California, alongside pioneers like Raven Lang.Founding Midwifery Today after a Spirit-led vision, and sustaining it for 37 years.Stories of mentorship, partnership, and the creation of conferences that brought the magazine’s pages alive.Her faith journey and how spirituality continues to shape her vision of birth.Reflections on medicalization, free birth, and why mentorship and tradition matter most in educating midwives.Why her definition of midwifery is simply: “relationship first.”Through it all, Jan reminds us that midwifery is not just a profession, but a vocation of the heart—a sacred calling rooted in love, trust, and relationship.Mentioned in This Episode:Midwifery Today – Jan’s 37-year magazine and conference legacy.Raven Lang – Author of The Birth Book and pioneer in Santa Cruz home birth. Interview coming up in this series.The Birth Book (Raven Lang) – Seminal text of the home birth movement.Frontier Nursing Service – Historic nurse-midwifery program in Kentucky.Carol Gautschi – Midwife, co-coordinator of the Classical Midwifery Conference, and featured in an upcoming At Her Feet interview next season.Michel Odent – French obstetrician, pioneer of water birth and physiological childbirth.Ina May Gaskin – Founder of The Farm Midwifery Center; author of Spiritual Midwifery; creator of the Gaskin Maneuver. Interview coming next season.Dr. John Stevenson – Australian doctor, home birth advocate, and contributor to Midwifery Today.Cornelia Enning – German midwife known for her work teaching water birth.Gail Hart – Oregon midwife with decades of experience, previously interviewed on At Her Feet.Chris Howard – Midwife who became Jan’s partner after she left the birth co-op.Tom Duncan – Physician who attended home births aligned with midwifery practices.Angelina Martinez Miranda – Traditional Mexican midwife in Morelos, heir to three generations of midwifery, and international teacher of Mexican birth practices.Angelica root – Traditional herb used to help release a retained placenta.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
Carla Viles’ story is one of circling back—through loss and redemption, apprenticeship and partnership, intuition and listening. From snowy nights in Eugene with her children decorating a Christmas tree while she birthed at home, to the weight of responsibility at difficult births, she has carried the thread of midwifery with quiet strength. Now, as she slowly winds her practice down, Carla reflects on the legacy of her work and the wisdom she hopes to pass on. Her path reminds us that wisdom often comes not only through books or training, but through dreams, stories, and the tender act of bearing witness.Carla Shares:Her own birth stories: a traumatic breech cesarean, a redemptive VBAC in Oregon, and the eventual joy of peaceful home birthsTraining in Eugene’s early pre-licensure midwifery communityWhy she chose to remain unlicensed in Oregon, holding sacred space for VBACsStories of breech, twins, and the burden—and blessing—of responsibilitySpiritual midwifery: intuition, dreams, and the unseen guidance at birthThe power of listening and the healing that comes from knowing a mother’s storyReflections on how midwifery has shifted—through licensing debates, changing standards around VBAC, the rise of technology and prenatal testing, the influence of fear in birth culture, and the growing role of doulas in home birth spacesWhat it means to step back, retire, and place family at the center once moreMentioned in This Episode:Daphne Singingtree — A longtime educator in plant medicine and midwifery based in Eugene, Oregon. Daphne founded midwifery schools, authored training guides, and played a key role in shaping direct-entry midwifery and legislation in the state.Ina May Gaskin (Spiritual Midwifery) — Known as “the mother of authentic midwifery,” Ina May helped launch The Farm Midwifery Center in Tennessee and revitalized homebirth in the U.S. Her classic Spiritual Midwifery, now in its fourth edition, interweaves birth stories, practical support, and a spiritual vision of natural childbirth.Elizabeth Davis (Heart & Hands) — A certified midwife and educator, Davis’s Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth (5th ed., 2019) is a foundational resource for birthworkers and parents. It covers physiological birth, hands-on support techniques, pain mediation, postpartum recovery, and breastfeeding.Margaret Charles Smith (Listen to Me Good) — An Alabama midwife whose decades of experience yielded unforgettable birth stories. Listen to Me Good: The Life Story of an Alabama Midwife shares her rural midwifery work across shifting medical landscapes. She was inducted into the Alabama Women’s Hall of Fame.Nancy Wainer Cohen & Lois J. Estner (Silent Knife) — Silent Knife: Cesarean Prevention and Vaginal Birth after Cesarean (VBAC) (1983) is a landmark guide for VBAC parents and providers. Cohen was a leader in cesarean-prevention advocacy; Estner was a VBAC mother and breastfeeding counselor.Rahima Baldwin Dancy — A pioneering direct-entry midwife since the 1970s, Rahima authored Special Delivery, founded Informed Homebirth, trained in Waldorf early education, co-directed The Birth Center in Michigan, and continues teaching across generations on birth, parenting, and eldercare.Exaggerated Sims (position) — A semi-prone, lateral birthing posture used for comfort and fetal repositioning. In this position, the birthing person lies on their side with one leg extended and the upper hip/knee flexed between 90° and more—often helpful for aiding fetal rotation. See an illustration and further details here.Castor Oil — A traditional, natural method used for inducing labor via cervical ripening. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis found that oral castor oil is associated with significantly increased labor induction rates (Relative Risk ≈ 3.27) and higher prevalence of vaginal delivery—without reporting serious adverse effects. You can read the study here.Jan Tritten — The founder and longtime editor of Midwifery Today magazine and its conferences. Jan became a home-birth midwife in 1977 after a transformative second birth. She was recently interviewed for this series, and her full episode will be released next week.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this intimate conversation, Blyss sits with Betty Griffith, LDM, a licensed midwife in Salem, Oregon, whose five decades of practice bridge the early days of the home birth revival with today’s changing landscape. From her beginnings as a labor-and-delivery nurse in the 1970s to years of practicing home birth prior to licensure, Betty shares the shifts she’s witnessed—both in women’s bodies and in the culture of birth.With candor and warmth, Betty reflects on the simplicity of care in earlier times, the complications that arise from fear-based models, and why she believes too much testing can create more problems than it solves. She also opens her medicine bag—offering practical wisdom on prenatal nutrition, balancing energy to encourage optimal fetal position, the “midwife brew,” herbs, prayer, and the subtle art of listening deeply to both women and babies.This conversation weaves history, philosophy, and practical midwifery into one tapestry—reminding us that birth is, above all, a sacred and natural process.Betty Shares:Betty’s journey from farm girl to nurse to beloved Oregon midwifeA stark look at obstetric practices in the 1960s and ’70s—and what changedHow simplicity in care led to excellent outcomes before licensureWhy fear and over-testing may contribute to complicationsStories of faith, prayer, and “God births” that defied medical oddsThe midwife’s role as family-centered, bringing children into the processBetty’s homemade prenatal vitamins and natural remediesTools for aligning babies in labor—including her unique pelvic-tilt techniqueReflections on licensure, Medicaid, and the struggle to serve families with integrityMentioned in This Episode:NARM (North American Registry of Midwives)Midwife Brew – a natural induction blend often including:Castor oilApricot nectar (sometimes Kern’s brand)Lemon verbena teaAlmond butterWaterMichel Odent — a French obstetrician who pioneered birthing pools, home-like maternity rooms, and the concept of the “fetus-ejection reflex.” He later founded the Primal Health Research Centre in London and authored numerous influential books on physiological birth. Learn more →Starwest Botanicals — a trusted source for high-quality organic herbs, teas, and botanicals since 1975. Visit Starwest Botanicals →Chlorophyll — for strengthening blood and preventing excessive bleedingTXA (Tranexamic Acid) — modern tool for postpartum hemorrhageCayenne & Cinnamon — traditional remedies for hemorrhageActivated Charcoal — used for supporting newborns with jaundiceUseful Links & ResourcesConnect with Betty Griffith, LDM: Birth With Love Midwife ServicesFollow us on Instagram @bridge_midwives to see Betty’s tip for helping babies find a good position.Learn more about the Bridge Midwives Project: thebridgemidwives.comJoin our monthly Community Circle: live conversations with elder midwives (first Thursday, 5pm PT).If this episode inspired you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or consider supporting the Bridge Midwives Project so we can continue archiving and honoring the wisdom of midwives like Betty Griffith, LDM.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this rich and soulful conversation, Blyss sits with Adele Rose, a traditional birth attendant whose path has been guided by instinct, a fierce sense of justice, and a deep trust in the body’s wisdom. Her journey winds through counterculture communities, births in unexpected places, and decades of rural care — all anchored in devotion to gentle landings for mothers and babies alike.Adele Shares:The contrasting birth experiences of her mother and aunts — and how cultural attitudes shaped them.Her own birth stories — from the harrowing hospital night she calls “The Night of the Iguana” to a dramatic ambulance delivery and the swift, powerful home births that followed.Early years attending births with little more than a fetoscope, scissors, and hemostats.The role of rural doctors who respected physiological birth and collaborated with midwives.Lessons learned from women and babies that shaped her low-intervention, intuition-led practice.Returning to midwifery school in her 30s and navigating the clash between medicalized protocols and traditional ways.Her belief that constant monitoring and routine procedures can disrupt the altered state essential to labor.Mentioned in This Episode:Valerie Al-Halta – Midwife in Huntington Beach who led community group prenatal gatherings.Dr. David Lush – Rural Washington physician known for supporting physiological birth and collaborating with midwives.Dr. Roberto Caldeyro-Barcia – Renowned Uruguayan obstetric physiologist (1921–1996), known as the “father of perinatology.” He co-created the universal standard “Montevideo units” to measure uterine contractions and advanced the science of electronic fetal monitoring.Dr. Jan Erik Strohl – Swedish-born physician who collaborated with midwives on home and clinic births and also worked in rural Washington corrections.Tanya Brooks – ACHI educator and midwifery leader known for home-study training programs.Linda Bennett – Retired direct-entry midwife with decades of home- and birth-center practice, champion of VBACs and radical postpartum support. Interviewed earlier this season.Barbara Harper – Founder of Waterbirth International and leading advocate for birthing in water.Michel Odent – French obstetrician recognized for pioneering gentle birthing environments: dim lighting, minimal intervention, calming birth rooms.Suzanne Arms – Author of Immaculate Deception (1975), which catalyzed the modern U.S. home birth and birth reform movements.Raven Lang – Home birth pioneer and birth storyteller. Episodes featuring her will be released later this season.Schools & Organizations:Association for Childbirth at Home, International (ACHI) – 1970s-era home-study birth education collective promoting peer support and self-reliance.Birthingway College of Midwifery – Where Adele trained. Founded by Holly Scholles, who was interviewed earlier in the season.Herbs & RemediesBlue Cohosh – Traditionally used to stimulate labor.Cinnamon – Small doses under the tongue thought to encourage contractions; use with care.Cotton Root Bark – Historically used to support labor, placental delivery, and oxytocin release.Angelica (dong quai) – A traditional uterine tonic; contraindicated during pregnancy due to potential risks.Shepherd’s Purse – Used postpartum to reduce bleeding; not advised during pregnancy.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this insightful and candid conversation, Blyss sits at the feet of Holly Scholles, a pioneering midwife, educator, and legislative advocate from Beaverton, Oregon. Raised in Texas and called to healing work from a young age, Holly shares her journey from pre-med student to grassroots birth worker, from founding the Association of Texas Midwives to shaping Oregon’s unique licensure model. With clarity, wit, and deep wisdom, she reflects on the evolution of midwifery, the power of community organizing, and the enduring importance of being truly with woman.Holly Shares:Growing up in a working-class family in Texas and early experiences of intuitive knowingHer calling to become a doctor at age three and the pivot to midwifery after a traumatic accident and hospital experienceApprenticing with Jehovah’s Witness midwives in Houston in the late 1970sHer early births, including the $250 fee, lack of prenatal care, and powerful postpartum reflectionsFounding the Association of Texas Midwives and navigating legislative battles in both Texas and OregonHer role in shaping Oregon’s voluntary licensure model and working to add legend drugs and devices to the midwifery formularyInsights on how to engage collaboratively (and strategically) with medical professionals and policymakers—starting with donuts The power and necessity of good charting—from memory to protection to professional communicationHer working definition of midwifery, thoughts on traditional wisdom, and the risks of romanticizing the pastHer ongoing consulting practice and support for midwives navigating complaints or investigationsMentioned in This Episode:Marla Hicks – Co-founder of the Association of Texas Midwives and longtime advocate for licensing pathways that protect midwives’ autonomy and access.Sherri Daniels – An early figure in Texas midwifery advocacy, connected to the movement’s formative years of organizing and legal reform.Lee Steward – Co-founder of NAPSAC (National Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth), a key figure in early home birth advocacy and the development of midwifery-informed research and policy.Betty Griffith – An elder Oregon midwife known for her teachings on energetic presence and the deeper layers of birth work.Barbara Katz Rothman – Sociologist and author whose writings on childbirth, reproductive justice, and medicalization deeply influenced the midwifery movement in the 1970s and beyond.Books & Texts:Marie M. Miles’ A Textbook of Midwifery – A classic British midwifery textbook used widely by early apprentices for its clinical depth and grounding in physiological birth.Williams Obstetrics, 14th Edition – A standard medical textbook offering a hospital-based, intervention-focused view of birth—often read alongside midwifery texts for contrast.Oxorn-Foote Human Labor and Birth – A clinical obstetrics textbook with detailed explanations of the mechanics of labor, referenced in both midwifery and medical circles.The Five Standards of Safe Childbearing – Published by NAPSAC, this foundational text laid out principles of informed consent, evidence-based care, and respect for the birthing person’s autonomy.Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer – A beloved collection of essays blending Indigenous knowledge, botany, and personal reflection. A meditation on reciprocity and relationality. Read more »The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance – Kimmerer’s visionary essay on kinship-based, gift-driven economies rooted in nature and mutual care. Read essay »Organizations, Trainings & Tools:Houston Midwife Education – A cooperative of faith-based midwives (many Jehovah’s Witnesses) in 1970s Texas, where Holly apprenticed during the early years of the home birth resurgence.Association of Texas Midwives (ATM) – Founded in 1980 to protect and formalize midwifery in Texas, ATM played a crucial role in advocacy, education, and certification efforts.NAPSAC (National Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth) – A national advocacy group that promoted informed choice, challenged anti-home birth narratives, and published research rebuttals to mainstream obstetrics.BoRN (Biodynamic Resuscitation of Newborns) – A newborn resuscitation curriculum developed by Holly Scholles for out-of-hospital settings, rooted in physiologic understanding and practical, field-based skills.The Hive – An online education platform for midwives and birth workers. Holly teaches continuing education there, including the BoRN course. Explore »NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) – The national credentialing body for CPMs (Certified Professional Midwives), discussed in this episode regarding policy shifts and resuscitation requirementsHerbs & RemediesAnise for Morning Sickness – A traditional digestive aid and carminative used to relieve nausea in pregnancy; generally safe in small culinary amounts.Goldenseal – A powerful antimicrobial herb. Not recommended in pregnancy due to its uterine-stimulating properties and potential for toxicity.Foxglove (Digitalis) – A highly toxic plant once used medicinally for heart conditions. It is unsafe for home herbal use and can be fatal even in small doses.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this warm and spirited conversation, Blyss sits at the feet of retired traditional midwife Mary Lothman of Portland, Oregon. Raised in Denver during the cultural upheaval of the 60s, Mary shares her path from rebellion to faith, from commune life to motherhood, and ultimately to midwifery. Her story is infused with humor, honesty, and devotion—to birth, to women, and to God.Mary recounts how her early hospital births—with separation, institutional indifference, and a lack of autonomy—propelled her toward a radical trust in birth and a calling to serve other mothers. We trace her journey through La Leche League, early home births with Jan Tritten, and her unexpected entry into a community of Christian midwives in Portland.Throughout the episode, Mary reflects on the spiritual dimensions of birth, the lessons she learned kneeling beside toilets and praying for wisdom, and the evolving tension between licensure, autonomy, and traditional care. With over a thousand births behind her, Mary brings fierce faith, grounded wisdom, and a reverence for birth that transcends fear and honors mystery.Mary shares:Her journey from commune life to Christian faithHow La Leche League shaped her early ideas of mothering and breastfeedingThe transformative home birth she had with Jan Tritten, and how it led her to midwiferyPracticing alongside a network of Christian midwives in PortlandLessons from peer review, loss, and sacred moments of griefHer reflections on free birth, maternal autonomy, and woman-to-woman supportThe Oregon licensure experience—and why she ultimately let it goWhy she believes “God is in control” in every birthMentioned in This Episode:Jan Tritten – Midwife who attended Mary’s first home birth and helped inspire her midwifery path; later founded Midwifery Today magazine to uplift global midwifery wisdomLa Leche League – Breastfeeding support group that shaped Mary’s views on motheringLinda Shellhammer – Portland-based Christian midwife who mentored Mary Hazel Woodward – Hosted early Portland midwifery gatherings Angelica tincture – Used for retained placentaPeppermint essential oil – A few drops in the toilet can gently stimulate postpartum urinationOtoscope – Mary learned to assess her children’s ear infections at homeThe Oregon Midwifery Council – The group that eventually led the shift toward licensureThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, elder midwife Gail Hart reflects on a lifetime of birth work shaped by lived experience, deep physiology, and a fierce commitment to women’s autonomy. From her early exposure to home birth in a religious commune, to a traumatic hospital delivery that changed everything, to helping shape Oregon’s midwifery culture, Gail shares the kind of perspective only decades of hands-on midwifery can offer. She reminds us that fear is not the foundation for wise care—and that true knowing comes from touch, time, and trust.Gail shares:Her peripatetic childhood in Hawai‘i and California, and her early political awakeningDiscovering midwifery in a communal religious group through apprenticeship and hands-on learningHer own traumatic hospital birth and how it galvanized her pathAttending the Northwest School of Practical Midwifery and launching into community practiceThe cooperative, peer-led model of early Oregon midwifery—and what was lost with formal licensureHow licensing systems shifted midwifery away from intuition and toward liability-driven careThe risks of book-heavy midwifery education that lacks embodied learningWhat she believes causes the rise in interventions, fear-based care, and “emergencies” that aren’tThe physiological wisdom of waiting—on shoulders, placentas, and newborn breathWhy she believes peaceful people often begin with peaceful birthsFurther Reading & Support:People & MidwivesCarla Hartley – Founder of Ancient Art Midwifery Institute; a vocal advocate for traditional midwifery outside licensure models.Margaret Miles – Author of A Textbook for Midwives, emphasizing non-interventionist, woman-centered care.Michel Odent – French obstetrician who pioneered water birth and promoted undisturbed, hormonally intact birth.Pat Edmonds – Midwife known for grounding her practice in normal physiology and calm presence.Dr. Max Miracle – Adventist doctor who supported natural childbirth after witnessing robust outcomes in rural South America.Frédérick Leboyer & Fernand Lamaze – Influential figures in natural birth reform; Lamaze popularized structured breathing, while Leboyer advocated for gentle, sensory-safe birth.The McMenamin Brothers – Oregon hoteliers who restored the Edgefield Hotel, where this interview was recorded.Northwest School of Practical Midwifery – A hands-on Oregon midwifery school co-led by naturopaths and chiropractors that operated in the late 1970s, eventually closing as licensure models took hold. It helped launch Portland’s first Birth Center and emphasized clinical experience rooted in physiology.Books & ResourcesA Textbook for Midwives by Margaret MilesA foundational manual blending common-sense midwifery with practical instruction grounded in normal physiology.(Out of print; available via libraries and resale platforms.)Birth Without Violence by Frédérick LeboyerA poetic call to treat birth as sacred—quiet, gentle, and baby-centered.Read on Internet Archive →The Scientification of Love by Michel OdentExplores the neurohormonal basis of love and birth, and the damage done by unnecessary interference.More info →Life Magazine on Twilight SleepReferenced as a cultural artifact promoting scopolamine use during birth, separating mothers from babies.Context article →Studies & Legal PrecedentsPlacental ResuscitationMercer, J.S. et al. Delayed cord clamping: Providing placental transfusion and more.PubMed →Bhatt, S. et al. Delaying cord clamping improves cardiovascular function and oxygenation in preterm lambs.PubMed →Oregon Attorney General Opinion (1970s)Affirmed that attending normal birth is not the practice of medicine when no drugs or surgery are involved.(Not publicly archived; cited in Oregon midwifery legal records.)Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this full-circle conversation, Blyss sits with elder midwife Linda Bennett—her own midwife during her first birth and a key figure in the resurgence of home birth midwifery in 1970s Santa Cruz.From attending births alongside Raven Lang to being arrested twice for practicing midwifery without a license, Linda shares stories from a time when birth work was raw, rebellious, and rooted in community.Together, they reflect on ethics, peer review, licensing debates, and the evolution of birth culture across generations—while revisiting the sacred responsibility of showing up for women on their terms.Linda shares:How the women’s self-help movement helped spark her path into midwiferyStories from the early Santa Cruz home birth sceneThe challenges and consequences of being arrested for attending birthsHer candid views on licensing, free birth, and holding birth in integrityReflections on humility, peer review, and generational wisdomMemories from Blyss’s first birth, and how it shaped both of their journeysFurther Reading & Support:Books & Films:Human Labor and Birth by Harry Oxorn & William R. Foote – A classic obstetrics text covering the physiology and stages of labor.Emergency Childbirth: A Manual by Dr. Gregory J. White – A practical guide for first responders and laypeople attending out-of-hospital births.Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin – An early home birth manual offering natural childbirth support and guidance.All My Babies (1953 film) – Documentary on Georgia midwife Mary Francis Hill Coley, used in midwifery training. Watch here »Birth in the Squatting Position – A short New Guinea birth film showing a woman giving birth in a squatting position over soft ground, with her baby sliding onto dirt.Midwives, Activists & ColleaguesLorraine Rothman – Feminist health activist and co-creator of the Del‑Em menstrual extraction kit.Carol Downer – Reproductive justice activist and pioneer of self-help gynecology.Gail Peterson – Birth educator and advocate for holistic childbirth.Carla Hearty – Midwife and colleague from Linda’s Santa Cruz practice.Genine Walker – Peer midwifery collaborator.Raven Lang – Author of Birth Book and midwifery pioneer.Tonya Brooks – Founder of ACHI and the Gentle Birth Center in Glendale, CA; co-defendant in birth rights cases.Cat Feral – Midwife who practiced with Linda in Tacoma, WA, before relocating to Oregon; passed in 2024.Physicians & Medical Influencers:Dr. Tom Brewer – Developed the Brewer Pregnancy Diet to prevent preeclampsia.Dr. Ronald Wu & Dr. Anthony “Tony” Burch – Southern California OBs known for supporting vaginal breech births and collaborative midwifery care.Dr. Nial B. Ettinghauser – Drugless practitioner advocating holistic approaches to birth.Dr. Joseph T. Anzalone, FACOG – OB-GYN in Santa Cruz noted for working alongside midwives.Dr. Howard Marchbanks – Family practitioner from Orange County who supported birth work.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this gentle and grounded episode, Blyss sits with Kelly Frohnauer, a retired traditional midwife from Merlin, Oregon. Kelly’s story is one of trust—in birth, in women, and in the quiet power of simplicity. She shares how her path unfolded outside the bounds of licensure, guided instead by elder midwives, spiritual conviction, and hands-on learning.Kelly shares:Practicing outside licensure in pre-regulation OregonHow a postpartum hemorrhage reshaped her herbal approachHer signature use of hot ginger towels for pain relief during laborWhy more women are turning to free birthThe midwife as “birth guardian,” grounded in presence and prayerHer transition from midwifery into natural skincare and artKelly’s presence is a reminder that birth can still be a sacred, sovereign experience—free from fear, rich with faith, and rooted in trust.To explore Kelly’s handcrafted skincare line, visit: naturalfamilybotanicals.comMentioned in this episode:Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – used during pregnancy to tone the uterus and support gentle laborShepherd’s Purse – a hemostatic herb Kelly no longer recommends postpartum due to clotting concernsAlfalfa – taken during pregnancy to build blood volume and prevent hemorrhageCinnamon – used in tincture form to stop postpartum bleedingCayenne Pepper – given to redirect blood flow during hemorrhage and buy time for other herbs to workAngelica & Dong Quai – used to encourage delivery of a retained placentaFurther Reading & Support:Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin – the book and educator who certified Kelly in childbirth educationSurja Johnson – a Santa Cruz midwife who mentored Kelly in her early apprenticeshipPenny Simkin – beloved birth educator known for her pain-relief techniques, though Kelly’s hot towel method came through a different lineageThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this radiant conversation, Blyss sits with beloved elder midwife Anita Rojas, whose story spans from milking cows in the remote mountains of Nayarit, Mexico to nearly four decades of midwifery in Oregon. Anita shares her early life in a self-sustaining village, the traumatic hospital birth of her twins that awakened her calling, and the path that led her to serve families with reverence, faith, and fierce love.Her wisdom is steeped in generations of traditional knowledge, spirit guidance, and deep personal healing. She speaks of her evolution from a self-taught midwife to a Tao Hands healer, her years running a busy birth center, her decision to walk away from licensure, and the power of presence and love in the birth room.Anita shares:Stories of the ancestral midwives in her familyMemories of growing up without electricity, hospitals, or storesHow a traumatic hospital birth became the catalyst for her callingWhat it meant to be self-taught through direct experience and community learningHer years running a busy birth center — and why she chose to walk awayWhy she gave up her license to practice as a traditional midwifeHer nuanced reflections on what “traditional midwife” really meansHow trauma, intuition, and spiritual guidance shape her practiceThe breathwork she teaches to help mothers come back into their bodiesHow she reclaimed her ability to attend breech births through deep personal healingWhat she believes midwifery is really about — and why it all comes back to love“Love is going to heal — and it starts with birth.”Mentioned in this episode:Black & Blue Cohosh + Cotton Root Bark for Labor InductionWe explore the traditional use of black cohosh, blue cohosh, and cotton root bark to support the onset of labor. These herbs have long been part of the midwifery toolkit — used to encourage contractions, ripen the cervix, and gently stimulate the uterus when labor feels close but isn’t progressing.Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. We share this for educational and historical purposes only. Always consult trusted resources and experienced practitioners when considering the use of herbal allies in labor.Elizabeth DavisElizabeth Davis is a Certified Professional Midwife, educator, and author of Heart & Hands: A Midwife’s Guide to Pregnancy and Birth. A pioneer in the modern midwifery movement, she’s spent over four decades advocating for holistic, woman-centered care and training generations of midwives through her teaching and the National Midwifery Institute.Further Reading & Support:Herbal for the Childbearing Year by Susun WeedHerbal Healing for Women by Rosemary GladstarWise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing YearConsultations with elder midwives or lineage-based herbalistsThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this moving episode, midwife Shannon Staloch sits down with Yelena Kolodji—an elder midwife whose roots in California midwifery stretch back to the early 1970s. From her humble beginnings on a Minnesota dairy farm to catching over 1,600 babies, Yelena shares a vivid, powerful reflection on what it means to truly be with woman. This conversation touches on the soul of midwifery, the loss of trust in birth, the dangers of over-medicalization, and the quiet wisdom that arises from decades of hands-on experience. She reminds us that to hold space is an art form—and one we must fight to preserve.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Yelena’s origin story—from Minnesota farm life to catching her first glimpse of birth in 1971Sneaking into hospital births dressed as a nurse and witnessing a solo breech delivery by an internHer apprenticeship with June and becoming a CNM while continuing home birth practiceWhat was in her birth kit then (and now)—including herbs, homeopathics, and a simple trust in birthThe shift from intuitive, soul-based care to technology-dominated practiceWhy birth stories matter, even (and especially) when they’re painfulHow our culture’s disregard for elders mirrors our treatment of birthHer critique of modern midwifery education and the lack of home birth exposureReflections on the systemic rise of fear-based obstetrics and 40% C-section ratesThe emotional, psychological, and spiritual impact of birth on babies, mothers, and familiesWhy the preservation of oral storytelling and hands-on wisdom is essential for future midwivesThe decline of home birth training in CNM educationSpecial thanks to:Shannon Staloch for conducting this intimate conversation, and Yelena Kolodji for opening her home, her story, and her heart.Mentioned in This Episode:UCSF Midwifery ProgramYunnan Baiyao for postpartum bleedingAlfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a mineral-rich, deeply nourishing herb traditionally used by midwives to support pregnant and postpartum mothers. High in vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as calcium, magnesium, and iron, alfalfa has long been valued for building and replenishing the blood, especially in the third trimester to help prepare for birth and prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Its high vitamin K content is particularly significant in promoting healthy blood clotting. Midwives also use alfalfa to support milk production and overall vitality in the postpartum period. Typically taken as a tea, tincture, or in capsule form, alfalfa is one of the gentle green allies that helps fortify the birthing body from the inside out.The legacy of Ashley Montagu and the concept of uterine envy in book, The Natural Superiority of WomenThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this episode, we sit down with Brenda Capps, the first elder midwife to speak her truth for this project. It’s the story of a life woven with loss, love, and deep faith. Brenda shares:Growing up in the South, surrounded by church and early memories of Black granny midwives who showed her the sacred power of birthHer own fast and instinctive births—some caught by her husband, some arriving so quickly there was no time for painHow midwifery found her, not through licenses but through prayer, mentorship, and unwavering devotionServing under religious exemption, traveling far and wide to be with families, and the calling she’s always followed as a “traveling midwife”The betrayal of a student she once trusted, the investigation that followed, and the arrest that tried to silence her storyWhat she’s learned from loss—attending stillbirths, grieving her husband and son, and how faith has carried her through every heartbreakWhy she believes no piece of paper should decide who can walk with birthing womenHer plea to future midwives: keep the work sacred, and never lose the wonderBrenda’s voice is both tender and fierce, wise and raw. Her story is a window into a way of midwifery that’s slipping away—and a reminder to honor the faith and fire that have always kept it alive.Mentioned in This Episode:“Mayes' Midwifery" is edited by Sue Macdonald and Gail Johnson.“Spiritual Midwifery” Ina May GaskinThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project
In this deeply personal first episode, host Blyss Young shares the story behind At Her Feet, The Bridge Midwives inaugural podcast. From the awe of witnessing her niece’s birth as a teenager to the running of a birth center whose midwifery students seemed increasingly clinical, to then becoming a midwife herself, Blyss traces the quiet call that led her to the wisdom of the elders. This is the origin of The Bridge Midwives Project—a devotion to remembering what was nearly lost, to honoring the wisdom that lives in hands and stories, and to reconnecting a lineage that predates textbooks and licensure. In This Episode:Meet your host, Blyss Young, a licensed midwife and founder of The Bridge Midwives Project.Learn the inspiration behind At Her Feet—a podcast devoted to archiving and reviving traditional midwifery wisdom.Hear how Blyss’ own path—from birthing mother to midwife to grief-stricken mother and wandering seeker—shaped this offering.Preview the voices to come: 15 elder midwives from Northern California and Oregon, each holding pieces of a wisdom tradition nearly erased.Explore words like “traditional” and "deliver" —and how listening with reverence can help us uncover the wisdom beneath the language. Acknowledge how colonization and professional gatekeeping contributed to the erasure of many Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and rural midwivesAn invitation to listen not with urgency, but with humility, presence, and care.Mentioned in This Episode:Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)The Bridge Midwives Project: bridgemidwives.comThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Podcast editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project