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PODCAST

Down to Birth

Cynthia Overgard & Trisha Ludwig

Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth and postpartum --- beyond the clichés and beyond the system. With 40 years" combined experience in midwifery, childbirth education and advocacy, publishing, research and postpartum care, we"ve guided thousands of families toward safer, more empowered choices. Down to Birth is all about safe childbirth, while recognizing a safe outcome isn"t all that matters. We challenge the status quo, explore

health & fitness alternative health

All Episodes

41:53

#338 | Breastfeeding Q&A: How to Night Wean, Delayed...

Down to Birth ·

2025/10/15

Send us a text Welcome to another Breastfeeding Q&A episode. Today, we start with a conversation on how to night wean and your personal experiences with what worked best. For today's questions, Trisha responds to: How child-led weaning works at 14 months, 18 months, and 2 years oldNursing strikes at 6 months — why they happen and how to respondNight weaning tips: gentle strategies without losing daytime breastfeedingWhy milk supply sometimes doesn’t come in (and hospital factors th...

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52:04

#337 | Toddlers & New Siblings: Expert Tips from...

Down to Birth ·

2025/10/08

Send us a text Bringing a new baby home is exciting—but it can feel overwhelming when you’re worried about how your toddler will adjust. You may be wondering: Will my toddler feel jealous? How do I handle tantrums? How do I keep my child feeling loved while caring for a newborn? In this episode, toddler expert Devon Kuntzman, author of the book Transforming Toddlerhood: How to Handle Tantrums and Power Struggles and Raise Resilient Kids Without Losing Your Mind, joins us to share practical wi...

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49:51

#336 | How Tongue Tie Impacts Vaginal Birth,...

Down to Birth ·

2025/10/01

Send us a text In this episode, occupational therapist and IBCLC Michelle Emanuel joins us to explore the hidden ways tongue-tie affects babies long before birth. She explains how oral restrictions begin in the embryo, influence fetal positioning, and impact birth outcomes including torticollis and C-sections. We dive into the anatomy of the tongue, how it connects to breathing, posture, and feeding, and why many tongue-ties remain hidden or misdiagnosed. We discuss feeding positions, tummy t...

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46:08

#335 | September Q&A: Boundaries with Family,...

Down to Birth ·

2025/09/24

Send us a text In this month’s Q&A, we start with a big one: What are your biggest fears in life? (Besides snakes and spiders, of course!) Then we dive into your thoughtful community questions, including: Homebirth vs. family pushback: My sister is a labor & delivery nurse, my family isn’t supportive, and my MIL has no boundaries. What should I do?Breastfeeding oversupply: I had a major oversupply with my first baby—will it be worse or the same with my next?Birth interventions: In my ...

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31:36

#334 | Why Moms Get Triggered: The Emotional...

Down to Birth ·

2025/09/17

Send us a text Motherhood, pregnancy, and postpartum life are filled with moments that test our patience — from bedtime battles and clutter overload to partner misunderstandings and in-law tensions. But these moments aren’t just “part of the job” — they’re emotional triggers, and they hold powerful clues for personal growth, stress relief, and a healthier, happier motherhood journey. In this episode, we dive deep into emotional triggers for moms, especially during pregnancy and postpartum. We...

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83:06

#333 | Emily Vondy's Encounter with God During Labor

Down to Birth ·

2025/09/10

Send us a text Emily Vondy hardly needs an introduction. She's a mother of six, songwriter, and online creator @emilyvondy whose humor, reflections, and music have brought laughter and validation to millions. In this episode, she invites us into the story of her fifth birth, which came after two heartbreaking miscarriages. What began as a pregnancy marked by fear and doubt became an experience of profound peace—and what she vividly experienced as clear-as-day divine intervention. That’s right...

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48:42

#332 | The Hidden Power of the Infant Microbiome:...

Down to Birth ·

2025/09/03

Send us a text In this episode, filmmaker and microbiome advocate Toni Harman joins us to explore the groundbreaking science behind establishing the infant microbiome—and why the earliest moments of life matter so much for lifelong health. Toni shares her personal journey from an unexpected C-section to uncovering how birth methods, antibiotics, and feeding choices shape immunity, metabolism, and risk of chronic disease over our lifetime. Key Points Discussed Include: Why vaginal birth, skin-...

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45:54

#331 | August Q&A: Sugar Cravings, Exclusive...

Down to Birth ·

2025/08/27

Send us a text Welcome to the August Q&A episode! What is your secret quirk? We want to know! We share a few of yours along with our own. Today's first question is from a mother who had a large first baby without a diagnosis of gestational diabetes. She's concerned in her second pregnancy that she might develop late-onset gestational diabetes. Next, a pregnant mother's mother is a medical doctor and is having a hard time supporting her daughter's natural birth choices because of her...

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53:00

#330 | Sleep Like a Baby: The Impact of Melatonin,...

Down to Birth ·

2025/08/20

Send us a text Sleep is the foundation of health—and yet in modern motherhood, it’s often the first thing we lose. In this episode, we’re joined by Heidi and Thaddeus of DreamWalkerz, parents of six and passionate educators on the biology of sleep. Together, we explore how light—yes, just light—is one of the most overlooked but powerful regulators of our sleep, hormones, mood, and even fertility. Heidi and Thaddeus break down what circadian rhythms really are, how they’re installed in babies,...

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46:08

#329 | Doula Confessions: Bearing Witness to Birth...

Down to Birth ·

2025/08/13

Send us a text Doulas play a critical role in supporting women through childbirth—but their work is anything but easy, and their work isn't for the faint of heart. Many face disrespect from providers and routinely witness coercion, misinformation, and violations of informed consent. Even with their deep commitment to the women they serve, doulas often feel powerless in the face of hospital systems driven by profit and control. Still, many doulas are called to this work—and despite everything,...

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32:38

#328 | Jessie's Vaginal Breech Birth: The Way it Was...

Down to Birth ·

2025/08/06

Send us a text At 28 weeks, Jessie found out her baby was breech—but instead of panicking, she trusted her gut. She felt strongly that her baby was meant to be born this way. After initially planning a home birth, Jessie began exploring other options and considered traveling to Pennsylvania for a hospital birth with experienced breech providers. But when labor started at 39 weeks, everything shifted. Mid-drive to Pennsylvania, Jessie and her husband decided to turn around and head to Yale New...

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41:00

#327 | July Q&A: Folic Acid & Tongue Tie, Nuchal...

Down to Birth ·

2025/07/30

Send us a text Welcome to the July Q&A! Today, we kick off the show with a conversation about your experiences of unnecessary, frequent stressors that we have the power to change or eliminate: For Trisha, it's taking phone calls while grocery shopping. Next, we get into your questions, beginning with: Did taking folic acid in pregnancy cause my baby's tongue tie? Is having the cord wrapped three times around a baby's neck a legitimate reason for c-section? Is it true that I can't ha...

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48:40

#326 | Trisha's Three Home Births

Down to Birth ·

2025/07/23

Send us a text Finally, after all these years, Trisha tells the stories of her three home births. Pregnancy, birth, & midwifery are woven into her life story, from her early obsession with pregnancy to her decision to pursue a career in midwifery, allowing her to understand every aspect of birth from a physiological and intellectual perspective. Hear how she became a midwife, how she got herself into labor with her first, grueling, long birth, to her wildly different second birth, and her...

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44:26

#325 | Breast Cancer While Pregnant: Leslie’s Story...

Down to Birth ·

2025/07/16

Send us a text In this extraordinary episode, Leslie shares her deeply personal story of discovering a lump in her breast at 34 weeks pregnant—an aggressive, triple-negative breast cancer. A wellness coach who hadn’t taken over-the-counter medication in five years, Leslie spent her adult life doing everything she could to prevent disease. As she prepared to welcome her second baby at home, she was forced to face a diagnosis that would alter her life on every level. She confidently insisted on...

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47:05

#324 | The Impact of Beliefs on Birth: Changing Our...

Down to Birth ·

2025/07/09

Send us a text Drawing from our their personal experiences, your words, and our intimate birth story processing sessions, Cynthia & Trisha delve into the neuroscience around beliefs and birth. Our brain constantly wants to make sense of things, but it often lands on unhelpful conclusions. This episode is about recognizing those negative beliefs and actively replacing them with empowering ones. It's about taking charge of your internal narrative to foster healing and confidence, no matter ...

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39:27

#323 | Two Planned Home Births at the Hospital:...

Down to Birth ·

2025/07/02

Send us a text Emily Woodward is a mother of two who planned a home birth for each of her babies. Her first labor began with confidence and joy—and stretched across multiple days, testing her endurance, her trust in her birth team, and her ability to surrender when the path ahead took an unexpected turn. She transferred from home to hospital with a crowning baby. Her second pregnancy was smooth and uneventful—until 31 weeks, when she awoke in the middle of the night to a pool of bright red bl...

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41:57

#322 | June Q&A: VBAC Induction, Birth Plan...

Down to Birth ·

2025/06/25

Send us a text Welcome to the June Q&A with Cynthia & Trisha. This month we kick things off with a conversation about a midwife who dropped her client in early labor because her HBAC labor was taking too long to get going--as you can imagine, we have a lot to say about this! Next we take your questions: One mom writes about her 3rd attempt at a homebirth after two hospital transfers and wonders if it is ok to keep her birth plans from her family with whom she is very close with. ...

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51:14

#321 | Spoil Your Baby: The Neuroscience of Thriving...

Down to Birth ·

2025/06/18

Send us a text Neuroscientist and author of The Nurture Revolution, Dr. Greer Kirschenbaum, PhD, joins us today to discuss the profound impact of nurturing care in the first three years of life. Drawing from decades of brain research, Greer explains how responsive, connected parenting in early life lays the neurological foundation for emotional regulation, mental health, and lifelong resilience—and why this critical window is so often misunderstood, underestimated, or dismissed. We also explo...

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45:13

#320 | Breastfeeding Q&A: Nipple Shields, Restricting...

Down to Birth ·

2025/06/11

Send us a text Welcome to the June Breastfeeding Q&A episode with Trisha & Cynthia. Today, we open with a follow-up discussion to our recent Patreon discussion on the predatory marketing of formula companies followed by a listener's comment about a hospital who forbade a mother and baby from doing skin-to-skin. Next, Trisha answers the following questions: Does a baby need to feed in the first 24 hours?What are your tips for gently weaning a 20-month old?Did I sabotage my milk supply ...

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34:11

#319 | Devon's Footling Breech Birth Story: Accepting...

Down to Birth ·

2025/06/04

Send us a text Devon Stockton was deeply rooted in health and wellness and armed with years of medical experience. She had only ever envisioned a natural, low-intervention birth and took all of the necessary steps to prepare herself. But her birth took an unexpected turn upon arrival at the hospital when she discovered her baby was footling breech and a cesarean would be necessary. Devon recounts the emotional shift, the support of her husband, and the unexpected calm of her labor before surg...

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343 results

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