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In S2E36, Kemi Birthjoy Johnson and Shellie explore coached pushing, “purple pushing,” the Valsalva maneuver and the contrast to physiological or undisturbed pushing —and why shouting instructions to push may work against the body’s natural instincts. They discuss spontaneous pushing, the role of birth positions, and what the evidence says about maternal fatigue, pelvic floor injury, and outcomes for babies.The conversation also looks at how coached pushing became common, whether strict time limits for the second stage of labor are useful, and how people can make informed choices that support physiological birth. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription  Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie  Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me  Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠  Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠  Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠  Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠  Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠  Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠  Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

This episode is a detailed look at caesarean birth covering what happens in theatre and recovery to the potential short- and long-term effects for parent and baby. Shellie and Kemi discuss informed consent, advocacy and doula support, rising intervention rates, differences in care models, and evidence on risks including complications, NICU admission, PTSD, and future pregnancies.Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Shellie and Kemi explore the history of caesarean birth and the changes that have made the surgery safer. From antisepsis and anesthesia to antibiotics, checklists, and modern monitoring. They also examine what “safer” means in practice, discuss risks including infection and blood clots, and question how informed choice and respectful care shape birth outcomes.A candid, evidence-focused conversation for pregnant people, birth workers, partners, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of caesarean birth and maternity care. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Dr. Stuart Fischbein joins Shellie and Kemi Birthjoy Johnson to discuss instrumental birth, including when forceps or ventouse may be genuinely helpful, the different risks involved, and why essential obstetric skills are disappearing.Together, they explore consent, intervention cascades, medicalised birth, fear-based protocols, and the importance of collaboration between obstetricians, midwives, doulas, and parents. This episode offers an honest look at assisted vaginal birth and why skilled, individualised care matters.Become an Untethered Rebel:⁠https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription⁠Book time with Shellie:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie⁠Book time with Kemi:⁠https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me⁠Website:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠Spotify:⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠Apple Podcasts:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠YouTube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠Support us with merch:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Shellie, Kemi and Dr Stuart Fischbein examine the forces shaping modern maternity care and what happens when we look beyond the intervention itself to the system that created the circumstances for it. We explore how birth care can be shaped by institutional incentives, liability and throughput as much as by evidence, and how time limits, induction, defensive caesareans, routine scanning and licensing can become mechanisms of control rather than genuinely individualised care. We look at how poor outcomes are often the end of a cascade rather than a single event. Instrumental birth, caesarean, NICU admission and difficulties with bonding may follow a chain that began much earlier with restricted movement, fear, continuous monitoring, coached pushing, early intervention or time pressure. We also examine deskilling. When practitioners lose confidence and experience in breech birth, twins, forceps or vacuum extraction, caesarean can become the default, not necessarily because alternatives are inherently unsafe, but because the skills to offer them are disappearing. What happens when the numbers we rely on aren't as universal as they appear? We explore how growth charts, labour curves and other obstetric thresholds can turn narrow reference populations into supposedly universal definitions of “normal”, potentially turning healthy variation into pathology. Consent is another key theme. We question when counselling becomes coercion, particularly when information is selectively framed, alternatives are minimised and a woman's “no” is repeatedly challenged. Finally, we discuss continuity of care, fear and professional culture. Continuity can create trust and accountability, while fragmented systems can encourage defensive practice. Much of the behaviour experienced as bullying or coercion may stem not from individual malice, but from clinicians working within a system that teaches them to fear uncertainty, blame and responsibility. This episode asks us to look beyond the final intervention and follow the signal back to its source: what assumptions underpin the evidence, who benefits from the way care is organised, and who ultimately carries the cost? Become an Untethered Rebel:https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi:https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735 YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/ Support us with merch:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch Buy us a coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/shelliehttps://buymeacoffee.com/dujube

In this episode, join Shellie, Kemi and Dr Stuart Fischbein as we explore how birth outcomes can be shaped by system design, not just clinical skill, or lack thereof. We discuss how time pressure, immobility, fear, monitoring and routine intervention can create the very problems they are then used to solve. Epidurals, coached pushing, early admission and continuous monitoring can influence labour, malposition and intervention rates, while evidence is often focused on short-term outcomes and hospital-based measures rather than longer-term effects on bonding, breastfeeding, the microbiome, child development and future reproductive health. From breech caesareans and synthetic oxytocin to postpartum decision-making, we ask whether the outcomes we measure are always the outcomes that matter. We examine how induction thresholds, routine scans, escalation protocols and arbitrary time limits, such as the 24-hour waters-breaking and 42-week thresholds, have become rigid rules rather than prompts for individualised decision-making. We also explore continuity of care, responsibility and professional power. Trust and familiarity can influence decision-making, while fragmented responsibility can allow harmful practices to continue because everyone is simply “following the system”. Ultimately, this is a conversation about who owns birth knowledge: who controls the tools, who is allowed to learn and teach, and who gets to decide what is considered safe. From the historical secrecy surrounding forceps to the medicalisation of midwifery and restrictions on independent birth workers, we question when professional control becomes disguised as safety. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/ https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/ https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/ Support us with merch: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch Buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube

This episode continues the episiotomy discussion, focusing on what it is, why it’s used, the evidence against routine use, the risks and complications, and the importance of informed consent. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Shellie and Simon break down what this surgical cut actually does to the perineum, why it was normalised for decades, and why the evidence now strongly supports restrictive use instead of routine intervention.Shellie, joined by her husband and co-host Simon, takes you inside the anatomy, history, and real-world consequences of episiotomy. From the pressure of crowning to the structures that can be cut, torn, or damaged, this episode exposes the gap between what birthing people are often told and what the research shows.You'll discover:What an episiotomy is, how it differs from a natural tear, and why the direction of the cut mattersWhy midline, mediolateral, lateral, J-shaped, T-shaped, and radical incisions each carry different risksHow episiotomy became routine through outdated obstetric ideology, not evidenceWhy forceps births are one of the few scenarios where episiotomy may genuinely reduce serious anal sphincter injuryWhat women report about pain, healing, sex, breastfeeding, anxiety, and the long shadow episiotomy can leave behindThey also unpack the consent problem head-on. Shellie and Simon discuss how often episiotomies happen without meaningful consent, why pain relief is sometimes withheld or minimised, and how being on your back in hospital can increase the likelihood of intervention. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

In this episode Shellie and Kemi discuss the side effects of epidurals and how frequently they occur to give you evidence based information upon which to make your own informed choices. They also explore the impacts of epidural on physiology and how these cause effects to the mother and baby. If you are wanting to make a more informed decision about whether you would like to accept an epidural in your labour, or you are a birthworker wanting to have a more in depth knowledge about epidurals to help support the families you are serving, this episode has you covered. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

On this week's episode Shellie and Kemi discuss what actually happens when an epidural is placed, why the consent process is far too rushed and how the medications involved can affect the mother and baby. From the surprising chemistry behind the medications like bupivicaine, to the real-world consequences of reduced mobility with epidural. We also discuss some different kinds of epidurals and what benefits they can provide. If you are interested in Shellie's Birthing Biomechanics course you can find it here: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/b-irthing-biomechanics-online-lectu If you are interested in reading more free information about biomechanics, you can do so on Shellie's website: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/techniques Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription  Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie  Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me  Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠  Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠  Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠  Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠  Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠  Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠  Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

In this episode, Kemi and Shellie trace the history of epidural anaesthesia in childbirth, exploring how pain relief evolved from early general anaesthesia to modern epidural techniques. They break down the anatomy and physiology behind how epidurals work, why they can affect movement, blood pressure, bladder function, and pushing, and what that means for mothers and babies. Along the way, they discuss informed choice, the impact of culture and medicine on birth, and why understanding the whole picture matters for anyone supporting or preparing for birth. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription  Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie  Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me  Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠  Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠  Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠  Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠  Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠  Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

In this powerful conversation, Katie shares her deeply moving birth stories, the life-changing consequences of medical negligence, and how she’s turned her experience into advocacy for other mothers. Honest, urgent, and unforgettable, this episode explores consent, induction, maternal care, and the fight to be heard.Please give generously to Katie and her family here:https://linktr.ee/kspinks06 Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered ⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Unlock the uncomfortable truth behind synthetic oxytocin in childbirth. This episode exposes how this powerful hormone, often hailed as a lifesaver, can secretly cause harm, influence outcomes, and fuel systemic issues in maternity care, all while women remain in the dark. If you've ever felt unsure about the interventions you're offered or want to truly understand your options, this episode is your urgent wake-up call.Join us as we dive into the myths, risks, and real-world stories that reveal how routine use of synthetic oxytocin extends far beyond medical necessity. Discover the startling differences between natural and artificial hormones, the hidden dangers of overuse, and how coercive practices erode women's rights during pregnancy and birth. We break down key insights from the latest research, including the outdated Friedman Curve, and explore how entrenched medical protocols are compromising the safety and dignity of women and babies.This episode offers concrete knowledge for anyone navigating pregnancy, or supporting someone who is. You'll discover:How hospitals are secretly over-medicating with synthetic oxytocin and why this drives up cesarean and hemorrhage ratesThe rare but serious side effects, including water intoxication, more common side effects like fetal distress, often hidden from women. The critical importance of informed consent - what it is, why it’s often denied, and how to advocate for yourself.Why standard labor charts and interventions are based on flawed, non-physiological models that harm mothers and babies.Practical strategies to recognise coercion, support physiological birth, and make choices aligned with your values. The systemic overuse of synthetic oxytocin isn’t just a medical issue, it's a human rights crisis. Women deserve to understand what they’re being offered, what risks accompany it, and the alternatives available. Ignoring these truths perpetuates a cycle of unnecessary harm and trauma, yet knowledge is power. This episode empowers you to question, challenge, and choose a different path, one that honours women’s physiology, rights, and intuition.Whether you’re pregnant, a birth supporter, or simply curious about the truth behind hospital routines, this episode is essential listening. We shed light on the unseen forces shaping modern maternity care and equip you with the insights needed to advocate for safer, more respectful birth experiences. The power to transform birth starts with awareness. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription  Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie  Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me  Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠  Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠  Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠  Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠  Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠  Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠  Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠

Shellie and Kemi further discuss the impacts of synthetic oxytocin on mothers and babies. They reveal how widespread use, overuse, and misuse of this drug are fueling rising cesarean rates, severe postpartum hemorrhage, and lifelong trauma in hospitals worldwide.You'll discover the shattering truths behind the cascade of interventions triggered by synthetic oxytocin, how it increases the risk of fetal hypoxia, brain injury, and lifelong disabilities. The duo breaks down startling statistics: how augmentation doubles, triples, or even quadruples the chances of complications like uterine rupture, obstetric anal sphincter injuries, and abnormal fetal heart patterns. They also expose the corrupting influence of profit-driven medicine, highlighting how institutional complacency and hierarchy turn terrifying emergencies into routine trauma.This episode digs deep into the system’s lies, how women are manipulated into unnecessary interventions, pushed into dangerous “care” that prioritizes protocols over physiology. You'll hear about real cases where delays, gaslighting, and neglect lead to preventable deaths, and why trusting the system is often a silent endorsement of harm. It’s essential listening for any parent, midwife, or birth advocate determined to reclaim birth as a natural process, not a medical catastrophe.If you’re ready to challenge the status quo, understand how to protect yourself and your baby, and learn the hard truths about what’s really happening behind the hospital doors, this episode is your wake-up call. With clear, research-backed insights and no-holds-barred honesty, Shellie and Kemi empower you to make informed choices, question authority, and explore safe alternatives to harmful interventions. Website:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠https: https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠Spotify:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠Apple Podcast:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠ Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠Support us by buying our merch:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujubeBook Time with us for one to one support: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie https://Kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me

Most women aren’t told that synthetic oxytocin; marketed as Pitocin or Synto, is fundamentally different from the natural hormone produced in your body. In fact, this common medical intervention may be quietly altering your birth experience, your bonding, and even your mental health long after your baby arrives. If you’re pregnant, a birth worker, or simply curious about what’s really happening behind hospital walls, this episode is your eye-opener. Shellie and Kemi take an unflinching look at the history, science, and shocking truths about synthetic oxytocin. You’ll discover how this drug, introduced just 70 years ago, has become the most widely used method to accelerate labour, often without women’s full knowledge or informed consent. We break down how synthetic oxytocin differs from the body's own pulsatile hormone, and why this difference can disrupt the delicate hormonal orchestra necessary for a physiologically normal birth. You’ll learn about the hidden cascade of interventions that begin when labor is artificially stimulated, leading to more pain, increased epidural rates, and a cascade of medical procedures that may compromise your baby’s oxygen, bonding, and long-term well-being. Hear why the physiology of natural labour, centered around pulsatile release and feedback loops, is crucial for the health of both mother and child and how interventions can quietly erode that foundation.This episode reveals the shocking association between synthetic oxytocin and higher rates of cesarean, hemorrhage, and breastfeeding challenges, with real stories from women who’ve experienced both worlds. You’ll discover the importance of informed choice, and why trusting your body’s natural rhythms might be one of the most powerful decisions you can make for your birth and beyond.Perfect for expectant parents, birth professionals, and anyone questioning routine hospital practices, this episode is a call to reclaim birth as a natural, hormonal process; respected, supported, and free from unnecessary pharmaceutical interference. Because when we understand what’s really happening, we can make choices that honor the biology, protect the long-term health of mothers and babies, and even transform the future of childbirth. More information about our upcoming gathering and courses: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthjoyserenitygathering Website:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ Spotify:⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ Apple Podcast:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ Youtube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ Support us by buying our merch:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠ Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠