Birthing Instincts

What happens when we monitor birth too much?
In this episode, Blyss and Stu pull back the curtain on one of the most normalized, and least questioned, practices in modern obstetrics: continuous monitoring. What starts as “safety” can quietly become interference, and the consequences aren’t small.
Together, they break down how over-monitoring can derail physiologic birth, increase unnecessary interventions, and shift trust away from a woman’s body and into machines. From hospital protocols to real-world birth room dynamics, this conversation challenges the narrative that more data always equals better outcomes.
If you’ve ever been told “we just want to keep an eye on things,” this episode will make you ask: at what cost?
References:
Birthing Instincts Podcast Episode #416: Disentangling Mono-chorionic Twins
Dr. Stu’s Mind Attic: Routine Use of Color Flow Doppler: Who Benefits? (youtube.com/@birthinginstinctspodcast)
Birthing Instincts Podcast Episode #433: Q & A with Dr. K, Pregnancy Specialist
Birthing Instincts Podcast Episode #294 Group B Strep: Prioritizing Agenda Over Science
Birthing Instincts Podcast Episode #408: Neonatal Jaundice. Be Vigilant, Not Overzealous
Discussed in This Episode
How monitoring became synonymous with safety
The unintended consequences of continuous fetal monitoring
Friedman’s Curve: The outdated standard still running birth
What the research actually says about EFM
How liability and fear shape birth practices
Breaking down the glucose drink, thresholds, and alternatives
When NSTs are useful, and when they’re just routine
Biophysical Profiles: What Are We Really Looking For?
Color Flow Doppler: More Information…or More Intervention?
How “abnormal” findings can fast-track induction
Practical, empowering questions for parents navigating hospital birth

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
LMNT | Got to lmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What happens when a skeptical dad starts asking real questions about birth? Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss sit down with Dad Jacob Dubois, author of Why Home Birth, to talk about how he went from doubter to outspoken home birth advocate, and why fathers may be one of the missing voices in the fight to reclaim birth from the medical system.
About Jacob
Jacob Dubois is a devoted husband to Madison and a proud father to two young sons (ages 2 and 4 months). He is the author of Why Home Birth? How hospitals turned birth into a medical procedure — and what the evidence actually shows, an evidence-based exploration that chronicles his personal journey from former home birth skeptic to confident advocate, drawing on what he learned over the past two years while supporting his wife through transformative birth experiences.
As @apogee.dad on Instagram, he shares authentic content centered around faith, fatherhood, and awakening perspectives on topics like birth and parenting.
Professionally, Jacob is an active-duty Marine Corps Officer with a background in logistics. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy and a Master’s of Science in Information Technology Management from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Jacob is committed to sharing his story of transformation, bringing more fathers into the conversation around birth, and empowering families to question mainstream narratives on health and childbirth.
Instagram: @apogee.dad
Website: whyhomebirthbook.com

References:
Business of Being Born Documentary: https://www.thebusinessof.life/the-business-of-being-born

Discussed in This Episode
Why most people believe hospital birth is safest
Midwifery care vs obstetric care differences
The true meaning of birth beyond medical outcomes
The role of fathers in birth and pregnancy
Medicalization of birth in America explained
Birth trauma in hospital settings
ACOG guidelines, evidence-based care, and bias
Why dads need to speak up about birth

 Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Is every positive urine culture in pregnancy a problem that needs antibiotics? Dr. Stu and midwife Blyss explore ACOG’s UTI guidelines, the evidence behind screening, and the growing concern about microbiome disruption and antibiotic resistance.

References:
Motherhood Equipped Podcast: 62. Birth Freedom, Breech Truth, and Why Physiologic Birth Matters with Dr. Stuart Fischbein
Patreon.com/BirthingInstinctsPodcast 
Support the Podcast 
Velvet and Bone Somatic & Trauma-Informed Doula Training (velvet-and-bone.com)
ACOG Clinical: Urinary Tract Infections in Pregnant Individuals
PubMed: Asymptomatic GBS bacteriuria during antenatal visits
Birthing Instincts Podcast Episode #294 Group B Strep: Prioritizing Agenda Over Science

Discussed in This Episode
Bladder Infections 
Kidney Infections 
The Various Screening Recommendations and Treatments
What is Asymptomatic Bacturia 
Benefits of Asymptomatic Bacturia
Why Eradicate Asymptomatic Bacturia?
Alternatives to Antibiotics
When to Seek Medical Advice
Risks of Antibiotics in Pregnancy, Labor and to Newborn

 Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

On this week’s episode Blyss and Stu introduce guest Abigail Iovine, a Pennsylvania traditional midwife, and her mission to create legislation to protect traditional midwifery through her organization The National Alliance for Traditional Birth Rights. Iovine discusses how legislation and institutional credentialing can criminalize basic midwifery care and shrink options. This episode outlines harms from siloed maternity care and discusses NARM’s influence.
About Abby Iovine:
Abby is a traditional midwife, mother of ten, and a passionate advocate for medical freedom who was raised with a deep love for God and family. Yes, all ten are hers, and yes, she has given birth ten times, an experience that profoundly shaped the way she approaches birth and care.
Her journey into midwifery began after the birth of her fourth child, and while pregnant with her fifth, she famously searched, “How to NOT have a baby in the hospital?” That question set her on a new path. After welcoming her first homebirth with her fifth baby, she began formally studying midwifery in 2010, later becoming a certified doula in 2013 and attending births soon after.
Trained through a five-year traditional apprenticeship under local elder midwives, she built her foundation in hands-on, relationship-centered care. In 2018, she officially began serving families through Cardinal Birth Midwifery, a family-centered, autonomy-respecting ministry that places real life, children, and family needs at the heart of care.
In 2025, she also founded the National Alliance for Traditional Birth Rights, further expanding her advocacy for family-centered care and the preservation of traditional midwifery.
Facebook: ProtectTraditionalMidwifery / YourBirthMatters
Website: Natbr.org

References:
Back to Basics Podcast 42: Dr. Stu Fischbein, MD - Childbirth 101: Home birth, breech, VBAC, and more
Attend a Reteach Breech Workshop: birthinginstincts.com/events
ACOG Releases Updated Guidance on Maternal Immunizations
The Highwire Episode 464: STEEP TERRAIN
National Alliance for Traditional Birth Rights (NATBR) Federal Policy Brief
ALEC Birth Freedom Act
NATBR Petition Demand federal safeguards for traditional midwives and family choice

Discussed in This Episode
Effects of Legislation on Midwifery Investigations
Bill SB507 in Pennsylvania
AMA Influence and Hospital Control
Defining Traditional Midwifery
NARM Critique and Licensing
How Standards of Care Can Be Improved
Eradication of Midwifery and its Impact on Maternal Mortality
“Heritage Care” Brief to Protect Midwifery

 Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

With Blyss away, Stu sits down with Phoenix OB-GYN Michael Hervey II to explore what true physician–midwife partnership looks like in real time. Together, an OB and midwife team delivered a remarkable set of hospital triplets born in rapid succession within minutes, totaling just over fifteen pounds. It’s a conversation about collaboration over hierarchy, shared skill, and how complex physiologic birth can unfold safely when trust and teamwork lead the way.
About Dr. Michael Hervey:
Dr. Michael J. Hervey II, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician–gynecologist with extensive experience spanning private practice, academic medicine, trauma care, and women’s health consulting. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, he pursued his education at several of the nation’s most respected institutions, including Morehouse College, Harvard University, and the University of Virginia, among other prestigious universities. His training and career reflect a deep commitment to clinical excellence, intellectual rigor, and service.
Dr. Hervey is widely recognized for his patient-centered, concierge-oriented approach to maternity and gynecologic care, with a particular focus on improving outcomes, restoring trust, and addressing the lasting impact of birth trauma. He combines hands-on clinical expertise with systems-level leadership, advocating for care models that integrate medical excellence, mental health support, and compassionate communication.
Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Hervey is an author, educator, and entrepreneur who contributes to thought leadership in women’s health and maternal wellness through writing, speaking, and media initiatives. He is married to Ellie Tan, CNM, and together they share two children, Michael and Kieara. His work and life are grounded in a steadfast commitment to dignity, safety, and healing for women and families at every stage of care.
Instagram: @premierobgyn_llc
Facebook: Premier Ob/Gyn LLC
Website: Teambabycatcher.com 
Books: Empowering Birth: The Role of Midwifery and Physician Collaboration in Modern Maternity Care. 
Her Body, Her Baby: Real Stories of Autonomy in Child-birth
References:
A maneuver for head entanglement in term breech/vertex twin labor, Dr. Stuart J. Fischbein
#373 BI Podcast Special Edition: A 90's Triplet Story

Discussed in This Episode
Listening to Patients Over Protocol
Triplet Delivery Criteria
Collaborative Care Model: Midwives and OBs
How the Midwifery Model of Care Compares to Medical Model
The Importance of Supportive MFM collaboration
Importance of Client Autonomy

 Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
WeNatal | Go to WeNatal.com/Birthinginstincts for a free magnesium with any subscription order, or wenatal.com/birthinginstinctswnp for the new Protein + offer.
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BI50 for 50% off the first three months of your monthly subscription.
Restorative Roots | Go to restorativeroots.com and use code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS to get $20 off
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@birthingblyss
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands