In this episode Rachel talks to Katie about all the wondrous and darn right fascinating things about the amniotic sac.

· Why is the baby surrounded by fluid, and what is it made of?

· Women are often told they have too much or too little fluid. Is this a problem?

· We also discuss why Rachel is (slightly!) obsessed with the function of the amniotic sac during labour

· We ask does breaking the amniotic sac (the waters) speed up labour at any point?

· What if your amniotic sac breaks before labour? We discuss the time the time-frames around augmenting labour when this has happened.

· And we discuss what if the membranes don’t break during labour?

All this and lots more for your eager lug’ols.

LINKS:

https://midwifethinking.com/2015/09/16/in-defence-of-the-amniotic-sac/

https://midwifethinking.com/2013/08/14/amniotic-fluid-volume-too-much-too-little-or-who-knows/

https://midwifethinking.com/2015/01/14/the-curse-of-meconium-stained-liquor/

https://midwifethinking.com/2017/01/11/pre-labour-rupture-of-membranes-impatience-and-risk/

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• Music Joseph McDade

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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

In this episode I discuss with Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly all things pregnancy sickness and Hyperemesis.

Just a few months ago the scientific evidence was published highlighting what causes pregnancy sickness and hyperemesis. This breakthrough discovery came from the work of Prof Sir O’Rahilly, his team and the team from Dr Marlena S. Fejzo in the US.

This ground breaking work gives hope to thousands of women globally who suffer terribly throughout their pregnancy with extreme nausea and sickness.

• I discuss what it is that causing this to happen during pregnancy.
• Why our human bodies could be making this hormone and what it’s use would possibly be for.
• And what the future holds for a cure, how Prof O’Rahilly and his team are working collaboratively with the pregnancy sickness support, a UK charity, women who have and are currently suffering from hyperemesis, and a team of obstetric specialists to find the answer to help stop this condition.

Professor Sir Stephen O’Rahilly FRS, is Co-Director of the Institute of Metabolic Science (IMS) and Director of the MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit which is part of the broader University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories which he also directs. On the wider Cambridge Biomedical Campus, he is Scientific Director of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and Head of the University Department of Clinical Biochemistry.

He was elected FRS in 2003, to the National Academy of Sciences, USA in 2011, has received five honorary doctorates and numerous scientific awards.

In 2013 he was made Knight Bachelor & for services to medical research.

His main research area is the aetiology and pathophysiology of human metabolic and endocrine disease and how such information might be used to improve the diagnosis, therapy and prevention of these diseases.

LINKS:
Pregnancy Sickness Support UK
Dr Marlena S. Fejzo HER Foundation
GD15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor and bestselling author of the books Period Repair Manual and Hormone Repair Manual — practical guides to treating period problems with nutrition, supplements, and bioidentical hormones.

With a strong science background, Lara sits on several advisory boards and is the lead author on a couple of peer-reviewed papers.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in women’s health and currently has consulting rooms in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she treats women with PCOS, PMS, endometriosis, perimenopause, and many other hormone- and period-related health problems.

On this episode we discuss with Lara all things periods and perimenopause.

• What is perimenopause? The nine symptoms you need to know!
• Is midlife really from 37?
• What is going on hormonally and how this affects our entire body system
• Dealing with heavy periods
• Supplementing our hormones
• Taking the contraceptive pill
• Dealing with stress, does perimenopause affect our ability to cope the same as before?
• Alcohol use and the real truth you need to know!
• All things ‘sorting your sleep out’ including dealing with night shifts!
• All this and so much more!

LINKS:

Website
Hormone repair manual book
The Lara Briden Podcast - Everything women’s health in under 15 minutes
Graph of hormonal changes of perimenopause
Graph of menstrual cycle

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Where and how women choose to birth matters. Born at Home is a stunning documentary film exploring what it takes to have a positive and transformative birth experience.

Empowered by the homebirth of her second child in 2020, Amanda Banks together with long term dear friend Eleanor Currie, set out to create a film exploring Homebirth in QLD.

With a passion for telling stories about the human experience. Their film 'Born At Home' explores the emotional journey of homebirth. ​The film interviews birthing experts, midwives, educators and shows many a homebirth first hand.

• We talked to Eleanor and Amanda about the messaging behind the film
• Home birth statistics
• About the transformative effects home birth can have for some women,
• And we delve deeper into the reasons why more women are deciding to give birth at home.

This is a beautiful episode with many insights. A great way to whet your appetite before you see the film.

LINKS:
Born at home the film
IG @bornathomethefilm
Screenings of the film

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Wendy Jones BSc, MSc, PhD, MRPharmS is known for her work on providing a service on the compatibility of drugs in breastmilk and has been a registered breastfeeding supporter for 36 years. She is passionate that breastfeeding should be valued by all and that medication should not be a barrier. In her employed life she was a primary care pharmacist. Wendy left paid work 12 years ago to concentrate on writing her books and developing her website to provide information for mothers and professionals. Wendy was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List of 2018 for services to mothers and babies.

In this episode I chat to Wendy about all those common questions which start with “is it safe to breastfeed with that medication?!”

· Breastfeeding whilst needing medications for a chronic condition

· Common misconceptions with anxiety and depression medications and breastfeeding

· Is it safe to keep breastfeeding when you catch the common cold or flu?

· Emergency contraception – do you need to stop breastfeeding and will it affect milk supply?

· Wendy tells us about the new medications for migraines

· Colic medicines – is there evidence for this and do they work?

· Why planning in pregnancy is essential to support ongoing breastfeeding for those needing to use any medications long term, and yet unfortunately is still mostly not happening.

· And Wendy tells me how she ended up giving out her personal phone number to the whole of the UK several years ago for any breastfeeding questions on medications and feeding! And was dealing with 10.000 calls a year!

LINKS:
Wendy Jones website, fact sheets, books and more
BFN Drugs in breast milk fact sheets
Lactmed
E Lactencia
Hale meds

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Bonnie Hughes is a midwife, with a background in musical theater and journalism. She is the creator of the podcast series Making a Midwife, and an animation film-maker hobbyist. Bonnie is passionate about the power of story, and how the stories we tell ourselves, the stories we live, the stories we are part of, and the characters we play in those stories shape the future. Bonnie explores, both through her midwifery work and her art how she can create a positive and uplifting impact for both midwives and the women and families in her care.

This episode will fuel your day tenfold when you hear us talking about the importance of taking up space and the power of anger.

We discuss:

· Working as a newly qualified midwife.

· Her incredible stop animation film titled ‘Big Trouble’

· How society puts girls and women into a place where they have to earn their worth.

· How women are conditioned to be small in size and mind, and the constant worry about how much space we take up in the world.

· We touch on how almost every woman in a maternity unit talks about their size, whether pregnant or not.

· We discuss how anger destroys us when we silence ourselves and let it fester.

· And we ask “How can we use anger for its best purpose?”

LINKS
Bonnie Hughes films

Big Trouble

The shared anatomy of Students and Midwives

Rage becomes her: the power of women’s anger by Soraya Chemaly

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website

Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Mavis Kirkham is Midwifery Professor Emerita at Sheffield Hallam University and has held honorary professorial positions at the University of Technology Sydney and Auckland University of Technology. After over forty years as a clinical midwife and researcher, she is interested in reflecting and writing on birth and midwifery in its wider context. A major theme of her research has been the way in which the context of their care impacts upon childbearing women and how their working experiences impact upon midwives. She has long been concerned with how birth stories are negotiated and the impact of these stories on tellers and hearers. With Nadine Edwards she has edited a new book titled Freebirth Stories.

In this episode we discuss with Mavis:

• About Mavis’ interest in freebirth and why it seems more women are choosing this way to give birth
• Mavis tells us about the Freebirth stories from women and Doulas she and Nadine collected for their new book
• We discuss the importance of language in pregnancy, birth and postpartum spaces
• The important role that doulas play
• And we ask what Mavis sees as the future of midwifery

Mavis is one of those midwives who has witnessed so many parts of midwifery and her bounty of knowledge and kindness shines through in this episode.

LINKS:
Freebirth Stories

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
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Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.

Dr Marina Weckend is a midwife and post-doctoral researcher based at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia. Building on 13 years’ experience in midwifery practice, education and research in Germany, UK and Australia, Marina is committed to improving maternity care services through better understandings of birth physiology. Her current program of research focuses on natural fluctuations and pauses during labour and birth, and seeks to normalise physiological plateaus as a strategy to reduce childbirth medicalisation.
In this episode we discuss:

• What are physiological plateaus in labour?
• Are labour pauses normal?
• When do they occur during labour and birth?
• How long do they last?
• What’s the defining feature of a physiological plateau?
• How do midwives think and work with them based on their experiences?

LINKS:

www.marinaweckend.com
Twitter @marinaweckend
LinkedIn Marina Awakening
Physiological Plateaus Newsletter
Oct 2023 Failure to progress or just normal?
Physiological plateaus during normal labor and birth: A scoping review of contemporary concepts and definitions
Failure to progress or physiological plateaus? A constructivist grounded theory explaining midwives’ views of healthy pauses during childbirth.

Want to listen to the new podcast 'The Feeding Couch'? Find it here or on all good podcast hosting platforms!

• Please support the show via Patreon or BuyMeACoffee
• MERCH here!
• Music Joseph McDade

Like this podcast? Leave us a review here
Want more from Katie and Rachel?
Katie's website
Rachel's website

Disclaimer
The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute medical or legal advice; instead, all information available on this site are for general informational purposes only. The Midwives' Cauldron podcast reserves the right to supplement, change or delete any information at any time.

The information and materials on the podcast is provided "as is"; no representations are made that the content is error-free. Whilst we have tried to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information we do not warrant or guarantee the accurateness.

The podcast accepts no liability for any loss or damage howsoever arising out of the use or reliance on the content.