Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Wombs of the World Podcast

Charlotte is joined by South African birth pioneer Theoni Papoutsis to explore conscious birth, postpartum care, and the realities of South Africa’s maternity systems. Together they talk about doulas and independent midwives, liability culture and rising cesarean rates, and why trust and surrender are central to birth. Theoni shares her wisdom on postpartum support, belly binding, closing rituals, and practical tools for labor like breath counting and the yes mantra. This conversation offers both global perspective and personal insight, showing how conscious birth is about more than labor itself, it is about how we care for mothers, families, and communities long after birth.

Find Theoni and her book on Instagram @papoutistheoni

Charlotte sits down with Berlin-based birthworker and policy researcher Clara Arenas to explore why birth is both the most intimate act and a deeply political one. They trace how postpartum care reflects a society’s values, compare community care and paid leave across cultures, and unpack what it really means to decolonize birth, pluralizing perspectives, respecting sovereignty, and keeping ceremony authentic rather than performative. Expect real talk on advocacy, shame and language, doulas as postpartum protectors, and practical ways to center mothers, babies, partners, and community.

The conversation also sets the stage for the Wombs of the World Summit in Berlin (October 15–17, 2025), a three-day gathering with traditional midwives and birthworkers from around the world. Join us to listen, reflect, and help reimagine how we welcome families.

Follow Clara on Instagram @claarush and learn more about the Wombs of the World Summit at wombsoftheworld.com/summit

In this very first episode, Charlotte Brielle, founder of Wombs of the World, sits down with doula and communications manager Kyndrick Peachey to ground us in the basics of birthwork. Together they explore what a doula is, how doulas and midwives differ, and why the doula’s role is such a vital bridge between ceremony and medicine.

From the rise of doulas worldwide to the traditions of rebozo and closing ceremonies, to the realities of hospital systems and white coat authority, this conversation weaves global perspectives with practical insights. You’ll also hear the story of how Wombs of the World began, why travel changes the way we see birth, and what’s ahead for trainings, trips, and the Berlin Summit.

Whether you’re brand new to birthwork, training to become a doula, or simply curious about how culture and care intersect in the most universal human experience, this episode sets the stage for what’s to come.

Learn more at wombsoftheworld.com

In this episode of the Wombs of the World podcast, Charlotte sits down with the incredible Chantal Blake, a menstrual health educator, mother, and founder of Honored Womb, as well as the author of Peaceful Periods: Holistic Womb Care for Teens.

Together they explore vaginal steaming as ancestral medicine and modern therapeutic tool. Chantal shares how steaming can support painful periods, infections, fibroids, postpartum healing, and even the birth process. They also talk about cycles as a vital sign, the huge gap in teen menstrual education, and what it means to return to relationship with our wombs, each other, and the earth.

This is a nourishing, expansive conversation for anyone who has a womb, loves someone with a womb, or supports cycle + birthwork.

Resources from Chantal:
• Pre-order Peaceful Periods here: www.honoredwomb.com/pre-order-book
• Learn about the upcoming international steaming film STEAM

Connect with Chantal: honoredwomb.com | @honoredwomb

Connect with Wombs of the World: wombsoftheworld.com | @wombsoftheworld

Listen, share with someone who would love this, and let us know what resonates.

In this beautiful episode, I sit with my dear friend Mariela, a traditional Mexican midwife whose story flows from the heart of Mexico City to borderlands birth centers and beyond. We talk about the journey of becoming a midwife, from learning placenta medicine at sixteen to catching babies across cultures, and how midwifery bridges both ceremony and clinical care. Together we explore what it means to practice birthwork as both political and sacred, how to read a laboring woman’s cues through sound, scent, and intuition, and how the rebozo carries generations of wisdom, like a grandmother’s embrace woven into cloth.

It’s an intimate, honest reflection on the art of traditional midwifery, the rise of doulas, and the remembering that birth is the most universal language on Earth.

If this episode nourished you, follow and rate the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who loves birth.

Come find us for courses, trips, and community at wombsoftheworld.com and on Instagram @wombsoftheworld.

Connect with Mariela on Instagram @amor.primalparteria.

And travel with us in Mexico! Learn more wombsoftheworld.com/mexico

Today we remember. We talk about birth as ceremony- for the mother, the parents, for the village, the land, the waters, and all our ancestors.

Rosa Amarilla joins me to share Andean-rooted wisdom on naming rituals, caring for the placenta, the medicine wheel, and what it really means to decolonize our care.

We also get practical: how to weave altar work, dreamwork, and small acts of reverence into day to day life.

How accountability can be love in action.

How mushrooms and plants can hold us through postpartum and pleno pausa.

This one is a blessing for birthworkers everywhere.

May it remind you that you are the medicine.

Follow @ikake.medicina to learn more from Rosa’s work.

Follow @wombsoftheworld and visit www.wombsoftheworld.com for upcoming trainings, global trips, and our maternal health initiatives.

If this conversation nourished you, please follow, rate, and share it with a birthworker or mother you love.

FR 🇫🇷 (Pour celles et ceux qui ne le savent pas, j’ai grandi en France et je vis à Paris aujourd’hui.) Dans cet épisode en français, je reçois Mama Cam, Camille Denois, doula basée en Colombie et de retour en France cette saison. Camille est un pont, profondément respectueuse des pratiques ancestrales, tout en honorant la puissance de la médecine moderne quand elle sert les mères avec humanité. On parle de deuil, de douleur, du temps comme ingrédient oublié, de l’eau comme thérapie, de postpartum, et de la manière dont nos cultures peuvent se rencontrer sans appropriation, avec curiosité et humilité.

EN 🇬🇧 (If you did not know, I grew up in France and live in Paris today.) In this French-language episode, I sit down with Mama Cam, Camille Denois, a doula based in Colombia who is returning to France this season. We explore how birth does not have to be either or, there is room for ancestral wisdom and modern medicine to work together, in abundance, for the sake of mothers.

Find the brilliant Mama Cam on Instagram @mamacam__

And learn more about Wombs of the World and all upcoming trips and trainings at wombsoftheworld.com

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, I sit down with Nina Vermeulen, a doula, artist, and space holder based in Belgium and the founder of Your Voyage Home.

Our conversation moves gently through the quiet, often hidden chapters of becoming: preconception, pregnancy loss, longing, grief, and the deeply tender question so many carry, am I a mother? Nina shares her journey into birthwork through ritual, music, and storytelling, including her experience of preparing for motherhood, becoming pregnant, and losing her child during pregnancy.

We talk about the emotional toll of trying to conceive, the isolation surrounding miscarriage, and how rarely these experiences are named out loud. We reflect on identity, on mothering beyond biology, and on what it means to hold life, love, and loss in the body. We also explore the power of community, asking for support, and creating spaces where these stories can be witnessed with care.

This episode is an invitation to slow down, soften, and remember that every threshold deserves tenderness. Nina closes by sharing an original song, offered as a gentle gift to listeners.

Follow us on social media @wombsoftheworld to learn more about all our upcoming trips and trainings!

You asked, and we answered.

In this Instagram Q&A episode, Charlotte, founder of Wombs of the World, joins Kyndrick Peachey to talk birthwork origin stories, global trips, ceremony, baby-doula enthusiasm, unexpected moments (yes, including baboons), and what it really means to be called into this work.

This conversation is heartfelt, unfiltered, and full of stories from the road, the birth room, and the in-between. If you’re curious about how Wombs of the World began, why birth is a ceremony, or whether birthwork might be tugging at you too, this episode is for you.

Note: This episode was recorded before the launch of the Wombs of the World Doula Training! If you’re feeling the spark and want more of this energy, education, and community, come join us and become a birthworker:

wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

And find us on all social platforms @wombsoftheworld

In this episode, I sit down with Shreni and DJ of We Have Kids Now for a conversation that spans continents, birth systems, and the deep work of partnership.

Shreni shares her two very different birth stories: giving birth to her first child during COVID in China, where she experienced a fascinating and deeply supportive model of postpartum care, and then welcoming her second baby in the midst of the California wildfires, navigating uncertainty, stress, and a precipitous labor. Through it all, Shreni and DJ have continued to choose intimacy, communication, and teamwork as the foundation of their family.

Together, they have distilled their hard-earned wisdom into a course designed to help couples feel more prepared, connected, and supported as they move from preconception through postpartum.

This was such a powerful opportunity to hear from them as a couple and to learn more about the heart behind their work.

You can find Shreni and DJ at @we.have.kids.now, where they share education, resources, and a free postpartum guide.

They also offer a self-paced course for expecting and new parents. Listeners can use the promo code WOMBSOFTHEWORLD to receive 15% off their course.

We are so honored and excited to have Dr. Nicole Rankins on the Wombs of the World Podcast! With over two decades of experience as an OB-GYN, she explores how centering birthing people can reshape a system.;

Dr. Rankins shares her journey from traditional medical practice to advocating for cultural shifts in birth care. She provides a grounded look into the realities of hospital births, highlighting the importance of consent, communication, and patience. This conversation illuminates the often-overlooked aspects of birth, such as the impact of environment and the role of caregivers in reducing unnecessary interventions.

Together, we explore trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and the significance of respectful communication. Dr. Rankins emphasizes the importance of autonomy in birth and how simple, human-centered care can transform experiences, even within restrictive systems.

This is a powerful and necessary conversation for anyone passionate about maternal health and systemic change.

Join us to discover how small, meaningful adjustments can dramatically improve outcomes for mothers and babies alike.

Follow:

@wombsoftheworld

@drnicolerankins

Learn more:

http://www.wombsoftheworld.com

In this episode, Charlotte sits down with Edwina Koch, a prison doula with the Ostara Initiative, to explore what it means to support pregnancy, birth, and postpartum within the carceral system.

Edwina shares her journey into this work and offers a deeply grounded look into the realities of birth while incarcerated. From weekly prenatal and postpartum support to navigating hospital births under custody, this conversation sheds light on an often invisible population of the birthing world.

Together, we explore trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and the role of the doula as both advocate and witness. We speak about autonomy in birth, the importance of postpartum support, and the ways in which simple, human-centered care can transform an experience even within highly restrictive systems.

This is a powerful and necessary conversation for anyone in birthwork and beyond.

Follow:

@wombsoftheworld

@endprisonbirth

Learn more:

www.wombsoftheworld.com

Birth doesn't happen in isolation, it happens within systems, cultures, and communities. And no matter where birth takes place, every family deserves to feel informed, supported, and empowered.

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte is joined by Gemma for a thoughtful conversation about medical doula support, navigating the UK maternity system, and what it means to advocate for families within highly medicalized birth settings. Together, they explore how doulas can work collaboratively within hospital environments while helping birthing individuals better understand their options, find their voice, and make informed decisions that align with their values.

From informed consent and autonomy to the importance of community, this conversation is a reminder that advocacy isn't about creating conflict, it's about creating space for people to make empowered choices. Whether you're an expectant parent, birth worker, or simply passionate about improving maternal health, this episode offers valuable insight into the power of compassionate support and the importance of shifting the narrative around birth.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What medical doula support looks like within hospital settings
• Understanding the UK maternity care system
• Advocacy and collaboration in medicalized birth
• Supporting informed decision-making and autonomy
• Helping families build confidence and assertiveness during birth
• Creating stronger communities of support
• Why changing the conversation around maternal health matters
• Centering children, families, and respectful care throughout the birth experience
  

We'd love to hear from you: Have you ever experienced a moment where having the right information, or someone in your corner, changed the course of your birth or healthcare journey? Share your thoughts with us on social media!

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast so you never miss an episode, and be sure to follow @wombsoftheworld for more stories, education, and conversations from birth workers around the globe.

And if you're feeling called to deepen your knowledge and become part of a global community committed to transforming maternal health, we'd love to welcome you into our Full Spectrum Doula Training. Learn more and join us at wombsoftheworld.com.

Perinatal mental health is about so much more than postpartum depression, and in this episode, we're diving into the full spectrum of what it really means to care for ourselves and one another during one of life's biggest transitions.

Charlotte sits down with perinatal mental health professional Kameela Osman to explore the realities of mental health from preconception through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Together, they unpack why so many struggles are minimized or dismissed, how to recognize when someone may need additional support, and why early intervention can make all the difference.

The conversation also explores the healing power of storytelling, practical ways birth workers and loved ones can better support growing families, and the role of self-compassion, boundaries, and nervous system regulation throughout the perinatal journey. Kameela shares insights into treatment pathways, somatic approaches to healing, supporting partners, and creating healthier foundations for both parents and babies.

Whether you're a birth worker, parent, or someone supporting families through this season of life, this conversation is a powerful reminder that asking for help is never a sign of weakness, it's an act of care that ripples through generations.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What perinatal mental health really encompasses
• Why mental health struggles are so often normalized or minimized
• Recognizing red flags during pregnancy and postpartum
• The importance of early intervention and accessible support
• The role of storytelling in healing and reducing isolation
• Somatic approaches to mental health and nervous system regulation
• Supporting partners through the perinatal transition
• Self-compassion, boundaries, and sustainable care for parents and birth workers alike

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Professional Background
• 01:02 Journey to Perinatal Mental Health
• 01:41 Scope of Work and Client Profile
• 03:38 Enjoying the Work and Supporting Women
• 05:22 Social Work and the Full Spectrum
• 06:35 Macro Work and Policy Advocacy
• 08:19 Perinatal Mental Health and Its Full Spectrum
• 09:58 Challenges of Normalizing and Minimizing Mental Health Struggles
• 26:11 Identifying the Need for Mental Health Support
• 31:17 Identifying Red Flags
• 34:21 Treatment Workflow
• 36:28 Somatic Modalities
• 40:25 Supporting Partners
• 43:20 Caring for Oneself
• 45:50 Preparing Relationships
• 56:21 Partner's Mental Health
• 58:55 Self-Compassion
  

Enjoyed this episode? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast, follow @wombsoftheworld on social media, and if you're ready to take the next step in your birth work journey, learn more about our Full Spectrum Doula Training and join a global community committed to transforming maternal health through compassionate, culturally respectful care.

What happens when movement science, body literacy, and deep respect for birth come together?

In this episode, we're joined by Lindsay McCoy, founder of the Body Ready Method, to explore her journey into birth work and the path that led her to develop an approach now used by birth professionals around the world.

Together, we talk about preparing the body for birth, the powerful connection between biomechanics and body awareness, and how science can deepen, not diminish, the wisdom that has always existed within birth. Lindsay also shares her thoughts on childhood experiences, the lasting impact they can have on pregnancy and birth, and why empowering people through education and understanding creates ripple effects that extend far beyond the birth room.

This conversation is an invitation to think differently about birth preparation, collaboration, and the role we all play in creating safer, more supported birth experiences. Whether you're an expectant parent, doula, midwife, or simply passionate about maternal health, you'll walk away with a deeper appreciation for the incredible wisdom of the human body and the importance of working together to support families around the world.

In this episode, we explore:

• Lindsay's journey into birth work and the creation of the Body Ready Method
• The connection between biomechanics, body literacy, and birth preparation
• Where science and intuitive birth wisdom meet
• How our life experiences can shape pregnancy and birth
• The importance of collaboration and shared learning within the birth community
• Why empowering families creates lasting generational impact

Hit subscribe and follow us @wombsoftheworld or wombsoftheworld.com

You can find Lindsay @bodyreadymethod or https://bodyreadymethod.com/

On this week's episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, we explore the role of Ayurveda in postpartum care, emphasizing the importance of warmth, nourishment, and self-care.

Nupur shares her journey and transition to postpartum work, highlighting the cultural confusion in postpartum care and the beauty of the mother in Ayurvedic care. The discussion delves into the basics of postpartum Ayurvedic cooking and the duration of postpartum nutrition, providing valuable insights for pregnant individuals and birth workers.

What you'll find:

• Ayurveda in Postpartum Care
• Nourishment and Self-Care in Postpartum
• The Importance of Warmth and Nourishment in Postpartum
• The Role of Spices and Oils in Postpartum Nutrition Postpartum Doula Support
• Ancestral Wisdom

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Wombs of the World Podcast
• 05:13 Ayurveda Overview and Postpartum Context
• 20:38 The Basics of Postpartum Ayurvedic Cooking
• 26:14 The Duration of Postpartum Nutrition
• 31:32 Ideal Postpartum Experience
• 38:12 Self-Love and Self-Care
• 01:00:00 Mentorship for Postpartum Doulas

Want to become a birthworker? Join us at wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

Hit subscribe, leave a review, or follow us @wombsoftheworld

This week's episode features Nina Spears, of the "Baby Chick" as we explore the role of a baby planner and doula, the Baby Chick Guide to Positive Pregnancy, challenges of motherhood and postpartum care, global perspectives on maternal care, and more!

Show Links:

The Baby Chick: https://www.baby-chick.com/

The Positive Pregnancy Book by Nina Spears: https://www.baby-chick.com/positive-pregnancy-book/

Alchemize the Rage T-Shirt: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/product-page/alchemize-the-rage-short-sleeve-unisex-t-shirt

Wombs of the World: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/product-page/alchemize-the-rage-short-sleeve-unisex-t-shirt

Takeaways

• Importance of collaborative care
• Challenges of postpartum care Advocacy for maternal support is crucial
• Community and collaboration are essential for supporting mothers

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Wombs of the World
• 13:00 Transition to Motherhood and Postpartum Support
• 19:52 The Role of a Baby Planner and Doula
• 29:00 Challenges of Motherhood and Postpartum Care
• 35:07 Global Perspectives on Maternal Care
• 47:11 Early Childhood Development
• 57:11 The Role of Doulas and Entrepreneurship
• 01:07:01 Book Launch and Motherhood Support

The conversation explores the intersection of cultural identity, diaspora, and the challenges faced by families in the diaspora.

Macy shares her background, work as a doula, and the importance of cultural sensitivity in caregiving. The discussion delves into the complexities of identity, whiteness, and the revolutionary nature of the conversations held at the Wombs of the World Summit.

The conversation delves into the complexities of birth work, cultural sensitivity, and the future of maternal health care. It explores the impact of generational trauma, identity politics, and the role of imagination in envisioning a regenerative future. The importance of curiosity, playfulness, and centering the other person's experience is emphasized, along with the need for care providers to adapt to changing expectations and systems.

Want to become a birthworker? Join the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

You can connect with us @wombsoftheworld and with Macy @ateh.doula

Most birth stories are seen as a checklist of medical interventions, but Vanessa Lachmann reveals how integrating shamanic ceremony and ancestral wisdom transforms the birthing experience into a deeply sacred, embodied rite of passage. Moving beyond the medicalization of birth, she offers a revolutionary perspective on how ceremony, lineage, and presence can restore trust, vitality, and true power to mothers and birth workers alike.

In this episode, Vanessa shares her journey to holistic birth work, illustrating how her lineage-based shamanic practices create the foundation for profound healing. She discusses how ancient rituals can be adapted respectfully to modern contexts, emphasizing the importance of lineage, cultural integrity, and embodied medicine.

This conversation underscores the urgent need to bridge the gap between science and spirit in birth work, advocating for systemic change that values calm, presence, and support in hypermedicalized environments. By integrating shamanic practices into everyday care, birth workers can create more nourishing, respectful experiences that honor both tradition and modern evidence.

Connect with Vanessa Lachmann on Instagram @VanessaLaughingman or @RisingMother, and explore her holistic offerings, trainings, and sacred ceremonies that are changing the narrative around birth and postpartum. This is essential listening for anyone committed to birth justice, cultural respect, and awakening the sacred at the heart of motherhood.

In this insightful episode, I sit down with Hannah Gray, a Doula who transitioned from healthcare tech to full-time birth work. We explore her journey into the world of doulas, where she combines digital skills with traditional care to create a thriving practice.

Hannah shares her experiences of building authentic relationships, valuing her work, and fostering community support. We discuss the balance between intuition and structure, and how to navigate the challenges of birth work without burnout.

Join us as we delve into the art of sustainable doula practice, the power of lived experience over certification, and the importance of setting fair rates. This conversation is a heartfelt reflection on reclaiming traditional care and creating a fulfilling, financially stable career in birth work.

If this episode resonates with you, follow and rate the show, leave a review, and share it with someone passionate about birth work.

Follow us at WombsoftheWorld or Wombsoftheworld.com

Ready to be a birthworker? Join our Full Spectrum Doula Training at https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

Some stories change you forever.

In this deeply moving conversation, Charlotte sits down with Sabrina Fletcher, a pregnancy-loss and TFMR doula, to talk about termination for medical reasons, the grief of losing a deeply wanted pregnancy, and the profound gaps that remain in pregnancy-loss care.

Sabrina shares her own experience navigating a devastating fetal diagnosis, restrictive abortion laws in Mexico, and a medical system that was able to provide a procedure but was not prepared to hold her grief. That experience ultimately led her to become the support person she had needed: someone who could offer compassion, ceremony, community, and a hand in the darkness.

Together, Charlotte and Sabrina explore the language surrounding pregnancy loss, the isolation and stigma experienced by TFMR families, pregnancy after loss, and the powerful role doulas can play in ensuring families are never abandoned during life’s most tender moments.

This episode is for birthworkers, medical professionals, grieving families, and anyone who wants to better understand how to show up when there are no perfect words.

Find Sabrina’s podcast, Our TFMR Stories, and learn more about her support offerings at thetfmrdoula.com.

Content note: This episode includes detailed conversations about fetal diagnoses, termination for medical reasons, abortion, pregnancy loss, medical procedures, grief, and infant loss. Please listen with care.

Pregnancy loss is a part of far too many families' stories, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and under-supported experiences in maternal healthcare. In this deeply compassionate episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte and Sabrina Fletcher explore the realities of pregnancy loss and termination for medical reasons (TFMR), the emotional weight of navigating impossible decisions, and the profound need for trauma-informed, person-centered care.

Together, they discuss the gaps that exist within healthcare systems, the impact of abortion laws on access to compassionate care, and the lasting emotional and psychological effects of loss. This conversation also shines a light on the essential role doulas can play in supporting individuals and families through grief, not by fixing the pain, but by walking alongside them with presence, compassion, and respect.

From creating spaces where stories can be shared to recognizing the impact grief has on birth workers themselves, this episode is a reminder that every family's experience deserves to be witnessed, honored, and supported.

Whether you're a birth worker, healthcare professional, parent, or someone who has experienced loss, we hope this conversation helps you feel a little less alone and a little more seen.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Pregnancy loss and termination for medical reasons (TFMR)
• Navigating complex medical decisions with compassion
• How abortion laws can impact access to care
• The emotional and physical realities of pregnancy loss
• The role of doulas in supporting grief and bereavement
• Creating community through storytelling and shared experiences
• Supporting families after loss with dignity and respect
• The emotional impact of grief on birth workers and why additional training matters
  

We'd love to hear from you: What does compassionate support look like during life's most difficult moments? We'd love to continue this conversation, share your thoughts with us on social media.

If this episode resonated with you, subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast so you never miss a conversation centered on compassionate, culturally respectful maternal healthcare. Be sure to follow @wombsoftheworld for more stories, education, and global perspectives on birth.

And if you're feeling called to better support families through every stage of the reproductive journey—including pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and loss—we'd love to welcome you into our Full Spectrum Doula Training. Learn more and join our global community at wombsoftheworld.com.