Birthing Instincts

Blood transfusions can save lives, but when are they actually necessary, and what should you know before you're ever faced with that decision?This week, Blyss and Dr. Stu unpack blood transfusions in birth: postpartum hemorrhage, hemoglobin levels, blood types and compatibility, potential reactions, and why the number on a lab report doesn't always tell the whole story.They also dive into some of the harder questions: Can you choose where your blood comes from? What about directed donation? And what options exist for families who have concerns about receiving blood from vaccinated donors?From the surprising obstetric origins of modern transfusion medicine to the questions worth asking during pregnancy, this is one of those conversations you may never need, but you'll be glad you heard if you do.References:Vaccine Choice Canadavaccinechoicecanada.comReclaiming Birth Gatheringreclaimingbirthconference.comFriYAY! Instagram.com/birthinginstinctsUp to Me. Up to You. Up to Everyone.uptoeveryone.comSafe Blood - The Global Leader In SafeBlood Matchingsafeblood.comBlessed By His Bloodblessedbyhisblood.comHistory of Blood Transfusionshttps://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/what-happens-to-donated-blood/blood-transfusions/history-blood-transfusion.htmlAllowed to Birth Ashland Screeninghttps://rova.live/event/allowed-to-birth-film-screening-presented-by-woven-moon-2026-10-27-1800Discussed in This EpisodeThe history of blood transfusion, and its roots in obstetricsWhen postpartum blood loss may warrant transfusionWhy hemoglobin is only one piece of the clinical pictureHow red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the bodyABO/Rh blood types and transfusion compatibilityCommon and rare transfusion reactionsWhy modern blood banking has made transfusion significantly saferDirected donor blood and the challenges of arranging it during pregnancyQuestions surrounding vaccinated vs. unvaccinated donor bloodWays to optimize maternal health and reduce the likelihood of needing transfusionQuestions to discuss with your birth team before an emergency occursPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 offGirls 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

Cesarean sections can be lifesaving. But are women actually being told about the potential long-term consequences before they consent to one?This week, Blyss and Stu dig into some of the lesser-discussed risks of cesarean birth, particularly the risks that may not show up until months or even years later.Stu walks through research examining isthmocoeles and the broader long-term outcomes associated with cesarean delivery, including future fertility, placenta previa and accreta, uterine rupture, miscarriage, stillbirth, and potential childhood outcomes.But this isn't an episode about frightening women away from cesareans. It's about informed decision-making. As Blyss points out, being informed shouldn't mean you're expected to consent. Women deserve to understand both the benefits and the risks, including the downstream risks that may affect their bodies, their babies, and pregnancies they haven't even had yet.References:Kristine’s instagram posthttps://www.instagram.com/reel/DdB70-Ohaek/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&stkn=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==FriYAY! Instagram.com/birthinginstinctsAllowed to Birth Ashland Screeninghttps://rova.live/event/allowed-to-birth-film-screening-presented-by-woven-moon-2026-10-27-1800Classical Midwifery Conference - Tbilisi Georgia, 2027gentlebirths.net/classicalmidwiferyconferenceBirth Untethered Podcast: S2E31 - In Conversation with Dr Stu-What Doctors Get Wrong About Safety, Consent, and Birth Outcomeshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/s2e31-in-conversation-with-dr-stu-what-doctors-get/id1836371735?i=1000788208319Return to Wisdom Podcast: “Free Birth is a Rational Response” — with Dr Stu Fischbeinhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/free-birth-is-a-rational-response-with-dr-stu-fischbein/id1829401357?i=1000788354017Ancient Health Podcast:  Your Gut Is Recirculating Your Own Bad Estrogenhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/7okFAoLL6xeBkpxwhnqWpi?si=vTRhY-wLToeW6d7rm_gYLA&nd=1&dlsi=ed1bb63852ff4f5bLong-term risks and benefits associated with cesarean delivery for mother, baby, and subsequent pregnancies: Systematic review and meta-analysishttps://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002494Investigating the risk factors for isthmocele development after cesarean deliveryhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11078695/pdf/main.pdfBook: Fix Your Gut, Fix Your Hormones: The Critical Connection Your Doctor Is Missing… And Why You Still Feel Terrible Despite “Normal” Labshttps://a.co/d/03dsXMQLDiscussed in This Episode• What an isthmocele/cesarean scar defect actually is• Why some cesarean complications may not appear until years later• Secondary infertility following cesarean birth• Abnormal bleeding and other symptoms associated with uterine scar defects• How repeat cesareans may affect scar healing• Placenta previa, accreta, uterine rupture, miscarriage, and stillbirth• What research suggests about long-term childhood outcomes• The difference between signing a consent form and actually being informedPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 offGirls 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 can nearly 24 years of birth injury litigation teach us about preventing birth injuries before they happen?This week, Blyss and Stu are joined by nationally recognized trial attorney, bestselling author, and host of The Childbirth Attorney Podcast, Gina Mundy. After spending her career reviewing the births that went wrong—studying medical records, questioning doctors and nurses, and identifying the decisions that changed families’ lives forever, Gina decided those lessons belonged in the hands of parents before they ever entered the delivery room.Take a look behind the curtain of both the hospital and legal systems. Gina shares why Pitocin inductions appear so frequently in the birth injury cases she sees, what she learned while attending her own daughter’s induction, why she believes doulas can play such an important role in hospital birth, and the questions families should consider before consenting to interventions.They also dig into the uncomfortable realities of “standard of care,” defensive medicine, emergency C-sections, expert witnesses, medical records, hospital accountability, and what happens when the accepted standard may not necessarily represent the best care.We can’t predict every possible outcome, but we can do our best to understand the system we’re walking into, asking better questions, and making informed decisions before you’re in the intensity of labor.About Gina Mundy:Gina Mundy is a nationally recognized trial attorney, internationally bestselling author, speaker, and host of The Childbirth Attorney Podcast. For more than two decades, her work has focused on one of the most consequential moments in a family’s life: childbirth.Gina has spent her career studying birth injury cases in hindsight. She analyzes what happened, why it happened, which warning signs were missed, and what could have changed the outcome. That perspective became the foundation for her internationally bestselling book, A Parent’s Guide to a Safer Childbirth.Gina believes the greatest lessons for helping babies enter the world safely should be learned before labor begins, not after something has gone wrong.Through her book, The Childbirth Attorney Podcast, speaking engagements, media appearances, and international platforms, Gina brings those lessons to parents, doulas, birth professionals, and families around the world. Her work has reached audiences throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and beyond.Instagram: @ginamundy Website: ginamundy.com / fiegerlaw.comBook: A Parent's Guide to a Safer Childbirth https://a.co/d/03AlkDiLReferences:Allowed to Birth Ashland Screeningbirthinginstincts.com/events/allowed-to-birthClassical Midwifery Conference - Tbilisi Georgia, 2027gentlebirths.net/classicalmidwiferyconferenceGreat Birth Rebellion Podcast Episode 218 - The Cascade of Interventionhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3YikOJ1ADT9oC5NTL7JNH5?si=36a5db05f3dd4448Discussed in This EpisodeThe one intervention that shows up again and again in birth injury casesWhy “slow and steady” can make a huge difference when using PitocinThe question every parent should consider asking before allowing someone to break their waterAre some interventions really about safety, or getting the baby delivered on someone else’s timeline?The surprising way fear of being sued may actually lead to MORE interventions and C-sectionsWhat happens when the accepted “standard of care” may not actually be good careHow two highly qualified medical experts can look at the exact same birth and tell a jury two completely different storiesWhy doulas are rarely involved in the birth injury casesShould you record conversations during labor or after an unexpected outcome? The hospital details to look for when preparing to give birthPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 offGirls 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

Dr. Sherri Tenpenny joins Blyss and Dr. Stu for a wide-ranging conversation about vaccines, pregnancy, medical freedom, informed consent, institutional trust, and what it means to question the systems we’ve been taught to rely on.Blyss asks an important question for parents and birth workers: when major medical organizations say there are enormous amounts of data supporting recommendations during pregnancy, how is the average person supposed to evaluate those claims? Stu and Sherri also challenge the influence professional medical organizations have on hospital policy and discuss what happens when recommendations become protocols, sometimes without the kind of long-term or downstream outcomes they believe should be considered.But underneath all of these topics is a bigger conversation: How do we think for ourselves without simply replacing one authority with another?And that brings Blyss and Stu back to something they talk about often: we need each other, our community. Whether you agree with every perspective in this episode or find yourself questioning some of it, the invitation is the same, stay curious, look deeper, ask for the evidence, and make informed decisions for yourself and your family.About Dr. Sherri Tenpenny:Dr. Sherri Tenpenny is a globally recognized leader in exposing vaccine dangers and medical corruption. With over 50,000 hours of research spanning more than 25 years, she was one of the first medical professionals to sound the alarm on vaccine risks, paving the way for many of today’s voices in the medical freedom movement. Her relentless dedication to uncovering the truth behind public health policies, pharmaceutical influence, and vaccine-related injuries has made her one of the most sought-after educators and speakers in the field.Dr. Tenpenny began her career as an emergency room physician and served as Director of a Level II Trauma Center for 12 years, where she gained firsthand experience in critical care and the failures of conventional medicine. Realizing the limitations of the mainstream medical system, she founded Tenpenny Integrative Medical Center near Cleveland, Ohio, where she helped thousands of patients from all 50 states and more than 20 countries achieve true wellness through natural, holistic approaches.She was also one of the first doctors in the world to warn about the dangers of the COVID-19 shots. In April 2021, she released the groundbreaking ebook and webinar, “The 20 Mechanisms of Injury,” detailing how the shots could cause widespread harm. By July 2021, she expanded her research with “20 MORE Mechanisms of Injury,” further exposing the devastating effects of these experimental injections. Her work provided early, critical insights into the long-term consequences of the COVID-19 jab, helping countless people make informed choices—insights that other media sources slowly began to acknowledge long after her early dire warnings.A dynamic speaker, prolific writer, and fearless advocate, Dr. Tenpenny has appeared on countless media platforms, challenging the medical establishment and exposing the systemic deceptions behind vaccines, public health mandates, and Big Pharma’s unchecked power. She continues to educate, empower, and fight for medical freedom, making her one of the most influential and unwavering voices in the movement today."Instagram: @realdrsherritenpenny and @busydrtWebsite: DrTenpenny.com, Shoptenpenny.net, Vcourses.drtenpenny.com, primemembership.drtenpenny.comSubstack: drtenpenny.substack.com, Podcast: The Tenpenny Files PodcastsPublished Books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sherri%2Btenpenny&crid=1QNWOKPFHKB8X&sprefix=sherri%2Btenpenn%2Caps%2C241&ref=nb_sb_noss_2Vax App: drtenpenny.com/vaxapp/References:Allowed to Birth Ashland Screeningbirthinginstincts.com/events/allowed-to-birthIntentional Birth Pro Advocacy Traininghttps://community.intentionalbirth.co/a/2147925238/HUkqrEuoNAET Nambudripad Allergy Elimination Techniquesnaet.comThyroid Function Throughout Pregnancy in Women With Subclinical Hypothyroidism or Hypothyroxinemiaovid.com/10.1097/AOG.0000000000006373A Quality-Improvement Study Evaluating Three Postpartum Prophylactic Oxytocin Rates and Blood Loss After Vaginal Birthovid.com/10.1097/AOG.0000000000006355High-Dose Oxytocin Protocol Implementation and Postpartum Hemorrhageovid.com/10.1097/AOG.0000000000006351Vaccines and the Diseases They Target: An Analysis of Vaccine Safety and Epidemiology (The Silver Booklet)physiciansforinformedconsent.org/silver-booklet/Book: Tylenol and Autism: Evidence, Scientific Blunders, and Medicine Gone WrongBook: Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Germ LaboratoryDiscussed in This EpisodePregnancy and vaccine recommendationsWhat “safe and effective” actually means, and what evidence should support those wordsPreparing for newborn medical decisions before laborGrandparents, Pertussis & the Newborn BubbleCombination vaccines and the questions parents should be askingWhy asking questions may be more effective than arguing factsThe importance of community when your choices fall outside the mainstreamLyme disease and alpha-gal syndromeBreast implant illness“Turbo Cancer” & COVID ClaimsHow professional medical organizations influence hospital policyScientific research, peer review, and fabricated AI citationsWhy Sherri believes being a “seed sower” mattersPodcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 offGirls 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 way we enter the world has consequences that reach far beyond the day we're born?This week, Blyss and Stu dive into “Microbirth”, the 2014 documentary exploring the human microbiome and what happens during the extraordinary biological transition of birth. From exposure to maternal bacteria during vaginal birth to skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, antibiotics, cesarean delivery, and the hormonal physiology of labor.At the heart of the conversation is a much bigger question: When we intervene in birth, are we considering only the immediate outcome, or the ripple effects that may follow a baby for years, and perhaps even generations?Because birth isn't simply the moment a baby arrives. It may be one of the most important biological programming events of our lives.Listen now and join us as we ask: How much does the way we birth really matter?References:Microbirth Filmhttps://play.xumo.com/free-movies/microbirth/XM0KT28KHM1VCADo Antibiotics Given to Pregnant Women Harm the Baby's Brain? By Jennifer Margulishttps://jennifermargulis.substack.com/api/v1/post/pdf?postId=192562195Impact of maternal intrapartum antibiotics, method of birth and breastfeeding on gut microbiota during the first year of life: a prospective cohort studyhttps://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1471-0528.13601Allowed to Birth Ashland Screeningbirthinginstincts.com/events/allowed-to-birthIntentional Birth Pro Advocacy Traininghttps://community.intentionalbirth.co/a/2147925238/HUkqrEuoDiscussed in This EpisodeMicrobirth documentaryHumans as Living EcosystemsWhat Happens to the Microbiome During Birth?Ripple Effects of AntibioticsThe Incredible Biology of Breast MilkThe Gut-Brain AxisWhat Is Vaginal Seeding?Does Too Much Protection Hurt the Microbiome?Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care This show is supported byLMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any orderChristian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 offGirls 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