Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Wombs of the World Podcast

What if preparing for pregnancy started long before you were ready to conceive?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with Dr. Susan Fox to explore fertility through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine, reproductive health, and the importance of understanding our bodies throughout every stage of life.

Dr. Fox shares how Chinese medicine approaches fertility, including the role of acupuncture, herbs, lifestyle practices, and environmental factors in reproductive wellness. Together, they discuss the challenges surrounding fertility today, the growing interest in egg freezing, and how individuals can make informed decisions about their reproductive futures.

The conversation also explores fertility beyond women's health, including the importance of sperm health, the realities of trying to conceive later in life, and the value of understanding menstrual cycles, perimenopause, and the body's natural transitions.

In this episode, we explore:

• Traditional Chinese medicine and its approach to fertility
• Preparing the body for conception through lifestyle practices
• Environmental factors and reproductive health
• Acupuncture, herbs, and holistic fertility support
• Egg freezing, timing, and important considerations
• Navigating fertility decisions and societal pressures
• The role of sperm health in conception and pregnancy outcomes
• Understanding menstrual cycles and reproductive changes
• Fertility considerations for those pursuing motherhood later in life
• Perimenopause, menopause, and Chinese medicine
• Body literacy and making empowered reproductive choices

At its heart, this conversation is a reminder that understanding our reproductive health is valuable at every age and stage of life. Whether you're preparing for pregnancy, exploring fertility preservation, or simply wanting to better understand your body, knowledge can help you approach these decisions with greater confidence and intention.

Website: https://healthyouniversity.co/
Instagram: @dr.Susan.fox IG, @healthyouniversity

Want to deepen your understanding of reproductive health and support families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and beyond?

Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training, where we bring together education, global perspectives, and community to prepare compassionate, informed birth workers.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening, and share this episode with someone interested in fertility, reproductive wellness, or understanding their body more deeply.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

How do we hold space for both birth and death, joy and grief, beginnings and endings?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with birth and death worker Amana, for an intimate conversation about pregnancy and infant loss, motherhood, grief, and the spiritual connections that can exist beyond death.

Amana shares experiences from her work supporting families through both birth and loss, including her perspective on spirit babies and the connections some mothers experience with their babies before, during, and after pregnancy.

Together, Charlotte and Amana explore:

• The emotional complexities of working with both birth and death
• Pregnancy and infant loss
• Connecting with spirit babies
• Making space for mystery, intuition, and spiritual experiences
• Navigating grief without trying to fix or rush it
• Rituals and practices for honoring babies who have died
• Supporting mothers and families through loss
• Finding empowerment and trusting your internal compass
• The importance of community in grief
• How birth workers can more compassionately hold space for loss

At the heart of this conversation is an invitation to honor grief rather than turn away from it, and to recognize that supporting someone through loss doesn't require having the perfect words. Sometimes our most important work is simply being willing to stay present.

Website: https://www.amanabelove.com/
Instagram: @amanabelove

Supporting families through loss is an important part of full spectrum birth work. The Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training explores how doulas can compassionately support people through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and the many reproductive experiences that exist between and beyond them.

Learn more:
https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If this conversation resonated with you, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and consider sharing this episode with someone who may find comfort, connection, or meaning in it.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What if reconnecting with your body could change the way you experience boundaries, intimacy, relationships, and even parenthood?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with sexologist Anna Linde to explore her journey into the field of sexology and the healing that can come from better understanding our bodies, emotions, and needs.

Anna challenges the idea that sexology is simply about sex, instead exploring it as a holistic field connected to embodiment, relationships, reproductive health, boundaries, pleasure, and the way we move through the world.

Together, Charlotte and Anna explore:

• Anna's journey from birth trauma to sexology
• Sexology as a holistic approach to human experience
• Cultural perspectives on reproductive rights
• Healing through education and reconnecting with the body
• Learning to recognize and communicate boundaries
• Intuition versus anxiety
• Understanding feelings without automatically treating them as truth
• Navigating intimacy after having a baby
• Emotional versus physical intimacy in relationships
• Conversations couples can have before becoming parents
• Why small acts of intimacy and connection matter
• Sexual health, pleasure, and liberation
• Making self-care a meaningful priority

This conversation is a reminder that intimacy doesn't begin or end with sex. It is deeply connected to how we inhabit our bodies, communicate our needs, care for ourselves, and stay connected to the people we love through life's biggest transitions.

Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-linde-msc-08264692/
Instagram: @theadoptedsexologist

Want to deepen the way you support people through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and other reproductive experiences?

Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training:
https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with someone who might benefit from a deeper conversation about embodiment, intimacy, boundaries, and postpartum relationships.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

How do you build a sustainable career in birth work without burning out, doubting yourself, or feeling like you have to do it all alone?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, we talk about the realities of building a life and business as a doula, from setting boundaries and navigating imposter syndrome to finding multiple streams of income, working collaboratively in hospital settings, and building community with other birth workers.

The conversation explores what it takes to move beyond a scarcity mindset and create a birth work practice rooted in collaboration, advocacy, sustainability, and abundance.

In this episode, we explore:

• Setting boundaries and avoiding birth worker burnout
• Imposter syndrome as a new doula
• Different ways to earn income through birth work
• Advocacy and supporting clients in hospital settings
• Community over competition among doulas
• Building positive relationships with nurses and care teams
• The value of mentorship and continued doula education
• Social media, branding, and growing your doula business
• Preparing clients for inductions and informed advocacy
• Creating an abundance mindset in birth work

Whether you're considering becoming a doula, newly trained, or already deep into birth work, this conversation is a reminder that doing meaningful work doesn't have to mean sacrificing yourself in the process.

Guest: Evan Cohen
Website: http://www.bigcatbirthbotanicals.com/
Instagram: @bigcatbirth

Feeling called to birth work? The Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training prepares doulas to support families across pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and the full spectrum of reproductive experiences while building the knowledge and confidence to step into this work.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with another birth worker who could use a little more community and abundance in their work.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What can traditional midwifery teach us about honoring birth as more than a medical event?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with Miriam Avalos for a beautiful exploration of traditional midwifery in Mexico, the ceremonies surrounding pregnancy and birth, and the cultural significance of the placenta.

Miriam shares how traditional midwifery practices vary across Mexico, with knowledge, rituals, and traditions deeply connected to individual regions and communities. Together, they explore blessings, naming ceremonies, temazcal, rites of passage, and the many ways the placenta may be honored after birth.

Their conversation also opens a larger discussion about preserving and sharing traditional knowledge, learning across cultures, and navigating the important questions surrounding cultural appreciation and appropriation.

In this episode, we explore:

• Traditional midwifery across Mexico
• Birth ceremonies, blessings, and rites of passage
• The significance of the placenta in Mexican midwifery
• Placenta ceremonies, preservation, and traditions
• How placenta practices differ across cultures
• Birth as a physical, spiritual, and cultural transition
• Preserving generational and traditional knowledge
• Cultural appropriation, appreciation, and the sharing of knowledge

At its heart, this conversation is an invitation to look beyond birth as simply a clinical event and consider the ceremony, ancestry, community, and meaning that cultures around the world have woven into this transition for generations.

Curious about birth practices around the world and feeling called to support families through these transformative experiences?

Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training, where we approach birth work through a global, culturally curious, full-spectrum lens.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with a birth worker, midwife, doula, or someone who loves learning about birth traditions around the world.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What happens when a rocket scientist becomes a doula and discovers an overlooked place where families desperately need support?

In this first of its kind episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with Sammy for a 1:1 mentorship session to talk about her journey from rocket science into birth work, her experience completing the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training, and her growing focus on supporting families navigating the NICU.

Together, they explore what NICU postpartum doula care can look like, the challenges of building sustainable services for NICU families, and the persistence sometimes required to advocate within complex medical systems.

Their conversation also reaches beyond the NICU into traditional medicine, maternal mental health, adverse childhood experiences, secure attachment, and the many ways doulas can support the whole person during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

In this episode, we explore:

• Sammy's journey from rocket scientist to birth worker
• Her experience with the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training
• Why NICU families need more postpartum support
• The realities of providing doula care within and around the NICU
• Advocacy and navigating complex healthcare systems
• Creating sustainable NICU doula services
• Traditional medicine and holistic approaches to birth work
• Adverse childhood experiences and postpartum health
• Secure attachment and maternal mental health
• Using social media to reach families who need support
  

At its heart, this conversation is about finding the places where care is missing and having the courage, creativity, and persistence to help fill those gaps.

Website: tranquilapostpartum.com
Instagram: @tranquila.postpartum

Sammy's own journey into birth work began with the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training. If you're feeling called to support families through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and beyond, you can explore the training here:

https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

Meet the organizations supporting the Wombs of the World Podcast:
SILVERETTE | silveretteusa.com

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with someone who might be feeling the call to birth work.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What if postpartum care were treated as an essential part of birth rather than an afterthought?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte explores the cultural significance of postpartum care in Korea and what different models of maternal care can teach us about supporting families after birth with Julia Grace Kim from Sanhu House.

The conversation looks at Korea's postpartum care centers and the traditions that helped inspire Sanhu House, including the journey of building a postpartum care business and eventually pivoting from a hotel-based model to providing care within the home.

Together, they explore how traditional postpartum wisdom can be adapted across cultures without becoming one-size-fits-all, and what may be lost when pregnancy, birth, and postpartum become increasingly medicalized and disconnected from generational knowledge and community.

This episode explores:

• Postpartum care traditions in Korea
• What postpartum care centers can teach us about supporting new mothers
• Building and adapting a culturally informed postpartum care model
• Traditional wisdom alongside modern medical care
• Hypermedicalization and its impact on maternal health
• Generational knowledge and culturally responsive care
• Women caring for women and the power of community-level prevention
• How birth workers can help influence broader cultural and policy change
• The personal journeys behind creating new models of maternal care
  

At its heart, this conversation challenges us to imagine postpartum differently: not as a period mothers should simply "get through," but as a major transition deserving intentional care, rest, nourishment, community, and support.

Sanhu House: https://www.sanhuhouse.com/
Instagram: @ Sanhuhouse

Want to be part of changing how we care for people through birth and postpartum? Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training, designed to prepare birth workers to provide compassionate, culturally responsive support across the reproductive journey.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with someone who believes we can do postpartum care differently.

Follow us: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What does it mean to intentionally guide a girl into womanhood in a culture that has largely forgotten how?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with Johannah, founder of Wakeful Nature, to explore rites of passage, the transition from girlhood to maidenhood, and what young people lose when meaningful initiation and community are missing from their lives.

Johannah shares her journey of creating programs for girls while navigating the challenge of reconnecting with rites and ceremonies from her own European lineage.

Together, they explore how social media and modern culture are shaping adolescence, why girls need authentic relationships and trusted adults around them, and the idea of creating a "star team" to support a girl as she moves toward maidenhood.

Their conversation expands beyond girlhood to consider the many transitions we experience throughout life, from menstruation and motherhood to menopause and eldership, as well as the need for meaningful initiation and support for boys and men.

Together, Charlotte and Johannah explore:

• The cultural void around rites of passage for girls
• Preparing girls for the transition into maidenhood
• Social media, adolescence, and the need for authentic connection
• Creating a "star team" of trusted adults and mentors
• Reconnecting with nature as part of initiation and development
• Rites of passage throughout a woman's life
• Menopause, aging, and reclaiming eldership
• The need for meaningful initiation and support for boys
• How cultural shifts could help us better honor life's transitions

At its heart, this conversation asks us to consider what might change if we stopped expecting young people to navigate major transitions alone and instead surrounded them with intention, community, ceremony, and connection.

Website: http://www.wakefulnature.com/
Instagram/Social: @wakeful.nature

Feeling called to support people through some of life's most transformative transitions? Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training and learn to provide compassionate, informed support across pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and the full spectrum of reproductive experiences.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening and share this episode with someone who believes we need more community, connection, and intention around life's transitions.

Follow Wombs of the World: @wombsoftheworld
Explore more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com

What does it look like to build a birth culture rooted in compassion, informed choice, and community?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with nurse, doula, author, and community advocate Crystina Hughes for a powerful conversation about Black maternal health, access to doula care, informed consent, and the importance of helping people feel safe and supported throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

Crystina shares how her nursing career led her to doula work and eventually to creating Diamonds for Doulas, an organization making doula support and childbirth education more accessible in her community.

She also opens up about her own experiences with pregnancy loss, HELLP syndrome, feeling dismissed within the medical system, and postpartum birth control coercion, experiences that ultimately helped shape her advocacy work and her book, My Calling to HELLP.

Together, Charlotte and Crystina explore:

• Black maternal health disparities and self-advocacy
• Informed consent, informed refusal, and bodily autonomy
• Building better relationships between doulas and hospital staff
• Why feeling safe matters during labor and birth
• Making doula care and childbirth education more accessible
• Breastfeeding, postpartum support, and the power of community
• Pregnancy loss and supporting families through grief
• Turning personal experience into meaningful community change
  

At the heart of this conversation is a simple reminder: compassionate care matters. When we listen to people, respect their choices, and give families the education and support they need, the ripple effects can extend far beyond a single birth.

Diamonds for Doulas: https://doulacrystinacallingtohellp.square.site/
Instagram/Social: @Crystinasmithhughes

Feeling called to birth work? Explore the Wombs of the World Full Spectrum Doula Training and learn to support families across pregnancy, birth, postpartum, loss, and the full spectrum of reproductive experiences.

Learn more: https://www.wombsoftheworld.com/doulatraining

If you enjoyed this conversation, follow or subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast wherever you're listening, and share this episode with someone who believes in creating better care for mothers, babies, and families.

Explore more from Wombs of the World:
https://wombsoftheworld.com

What if healing didn't begin by doing more, but by learning to listen to your body?

In this episode of the Wombs of the World Podcast, Charlotte sits down with Numana Marie Joy to explore the profound relationship between the body, trauma, breath, and the wisdom of the womb. Together, they discuss Numana's personal healing journey, the creation of the Somatic Womb Clearing Method, and how unresolved experiences can shape the way we move through life, pregnancy, birth, and beyond.

This conversation dives into the connection between adverse childhood experiences, nervous system regulation, and body awareness, while offering practical insight into womb breathing as a gentle, accessible practice for healing. Whether you're a birth worker, parent, or someone on your own healing journey, you'll discover how reconnecting with the body can open the door to deeper presence, resilience, and self-compassion.

Together, they also explore the role of somatic healing in birth work, the impact of generational trauma, and why caring for ourselves is an essential part of caring for others.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Numana's journey into somatic healing and the Somatic Womb Clearing Method
• How trauma can influence physical and emotional wellbeing
• The connection between adverse childhood experiences and body awareness
• Womb breathing as a tool for healing and nervous system regulation
• The relationship between breath, the womb, and emotional resilience
• Why somatic practices matter for birth workers
• Addressing generational trauma with compassion and curiosity
• The importance of reconnecting with the wisdom already within our bodies
  

We'd love to hear from you: Have you ever experienced a moment where slowing down and listening to your body changed the way you moved through healing, pregnancy, birth, or everyday life? We'd love to hear your story.

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe to the Wombs of the World Podcast so you never miss an episode exploring birth, culture, and maternal health from around the world. Be sure to follow @wombsoftheworld for more conversations, education, and inspiration from our global community.

And if you're feeling called to deepen your understanding of holistic, culturally respectful care, we'd love to welcome you into our Full Spectrum Doula Training. Join a global community of birth workers committed to supporting families through every stage of the reproductive journey. Learn more at wombsoftheworld.com.

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.

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

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

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.

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!

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.

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