Evidence Based Birth®

• REPLAY: EBB 218 – The Evidence on Perineal Massage during Labor with Dr. Rebecca Dekker

  Can perineal massage during the pushing phase of labor really prevent tears? In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker takes a close look at the research to uncover whether this technique truly helps reduce perineal trauma during childbirth. She explains how health care staff provide perineal massage during labor, breaks down findings findings from key studies and meta-analyses, and examines how biases and variations in clinical practice shape the evidence. Dr. Dekker also explores why results from settings with high episiotomy rates may not apply everywhere and why skilled, supportive care and informed consent often play a bigger role in protecting the perineum than any single technique. Content warning: Discussion of perineal tears during childbirth, severe tears, obstetric violence, and episiotomy. Resources: For a full list of resources, visit: ebbirth.com/218 Watch the video version here on our YouTube channel which includes study breakdowns and PowerPoint slides. Protecting the Perineum Series: EBB 206 - Evidence on Perineal Tears and the Importance of Avoiding Episiotomy with EBB Founder, Dr. Rebecca Dekker EBB 210 - Evidence on Warm Compresses and Hands-on vs. Hands-off for Protecting the Perineum For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

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• EBB 375 - A Rainbow Baby and Preeclampsia Birth Story with Dr. Sara Ailshire and Dr. Siavash Samei

  Dr. Sara Ailshire, an anthropologist and Evidence Based Birth® Research Team member, and her husband, Dr. Siavash Samei, an environmental archaeologist, share the story of welcoming their rainbow baby after loss. In this episode, Sara and Siavash open up about navigating miscarriage care in the wake of changing abortion laws in Ohio, the anxiety and hope of pregnancy after loss, and Sara's experience with developing preeclampsia near the end of her pregnancy. They describe how they worked with a supportive midwifery team, hired a doula for advocacy and comfort, and ultimately experienced an induction that honored their preferences for a low-intervention birth. Their story also sheds light on the realities of discrimination in healthcare, the importance of community support, and the resilience found in becoming parents after loss. (01:58) Facing Miscarriage in Ohio and Barriers to Care (07:35) Pregnancy After Loss: Anxiety, Detachment, and Hope (13:04) Finding Midwifery Care in Kentucky and Planning a Low-Intervention Birth (20:29) Preparing for Birth: Classes, Doulas, and Advocacy Concerns (22:37) Early Signs of Preeclampsia and Navigating Blood Pressure Monitoring (30:33) Deciding on Induction at 38 Weeks (36:39) Laboring with Support and Moving Through Transition (42:43) Birth of Ferdous and Unexpected Placenta Complications (49:34) Advocacy, Microaggressions, and the Role of the Doula (54:23) Advice for Expecting Parents: Finding Calm, Support, and Autonomy Resources Learn more about preeclampsia: www.preeclampsia.org Miscarriage Care Instructions from Kaiser Permanente: healthy.kaiserpermanente.org Dobbs-Era Abortion Restrictions and Miscarriage Care: kff.org Navigating Miscarriage Management Post-Dobbs: whijournal.com Emotional Coping After Miscarriage: americanpregnancy.org An Account of a Miscarriage at Home: miscarriageassociation.org.uk Supply List for a Miscarriage at Home: miscarriagematters.org.nz Learn about the Jada System: organonpro.com The Birthing Spa in Stanford, Kentucky: thebirthingspa.com For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

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• EBB 374 - Educating the Public about Stillbirth Prevention with Ingrid Haas, Director of the Short Film "PUSH"

  Filmmaker Ingrid Haas is the writer and director of PUSH, a short film created in partnership with PUSH for Empowered Pregnancy to raise awareness about stillbirth prevention. In this episode, Ingrid shares her personal journey through pregnancy loss, how those experiences led her to advocate for families, and the creative process behind PUSH and the Stillness is an Illness campaign. Together, Ingrid and Dr. Dekker discuss the realities of stillbirth, the importance of listening to families' concerns, why fetal movement matters, and how storytelling can educate both the public and health professionals. Ingrid also highlights resources for parents and ways to support systemic change in U.S. protocols. Content Note: This episode discusses pregnancy loss, stillbirth, and related experiences. Please take care of yourself while listening. October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. For more information, visit: marchofdimes.org/pregnancyandinfantlossmonth (01:44) Ingrid's Story of Pregnancy Loss and the Road to Filmmaking (05:56) The Sliding Doors Concept Behind PUSH (10:01) Depicting Labor and the Realities of Stillbirth on Screen (17:12) The Goal of the Stillness is an Illness Campaign (21:15) Challenges of Counting Kicks and Different Pregnancy Experiences (25:29) Viewer Reactions and the Power of Feeling Seen (26:50) Why Listening Matters: Preventable Stillbirths and Provider Dismissal (29:35) A Call to Action: Signing the Petition for Updated U.S. Protocols Resources Watch the film and learn more: pushpregnancy.org Explore free stillbirth prevention resources: pushpregnancy.org/resources Check out Count the Kicks: countthekicks.org EBB 243 – Importance of Kick Counting for Preventing Stillbirth with Stephaney Moody, Health Equity Ambassador of Count the Kicks For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

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• Signature Training Announcement - Unpacking New Research on Big Babies

  What does the newest research on Big Babies say? We'll be unpacking it all during our live 90-minute Signature Training + Q & A on Wednesday, October 15 at 7 PM EDT, exclusively for EBB Pro Members. In this session (1.5 contact hours), we'll walk you through the latest evidence, address common questions, and bring clarity to this ginormous issue in birth. You'll also get the chance to ask your biggest questions and hear directly from Dr. Rebecca Dekker and the EBB Research Team. Join us for just $29 and get 30 days of full access to everything the EBB Pro Membership offers, including the replay, our entire continuing education library, live monthly events, and a growing collection of printable PDFs to share with your clients. Click here to sign up for the EBB Pro Membership now to get the Big Babies Signature Training Replay for only $29!

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• EBB 2 - What is Evidence Based Care?

  Evidence based care is a term you hear often in medicine, but what does it really mean—especially when it comes to pregnancy and birth? In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Dekker takes you inside the foundations of Evidence Based Birth®, explaining what evidence based care is (and isn't), and why it matters for families, providers, and communities. Dr. Dekker breaks down the three essential pillars of evidence based care: the best available research, the provider's expertise, and the birthing person's values and preferences. She explores how care can drift away from this model when decisions are based solely on tradition, authority, or convenience rather than the evidence. Along the way, hear how families can use this knowledge to navigate common hospital policies and advocate for care that truly centers their needs. (04:22) Outdated practices and the rise of evidence based medicine (07:10) Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole, and whose knowledge counts (010:15) The three pillars of evidence based care: research, expertise, and patient values (13:00) Understanding levels of evidence: from systematic reviews to case reports (21:40) Why clinical expertise and trusted providers matter in applying research (24:20) The role of patient values, preferences, and underlying biases (29:20) What evidence based care is, and what it is not For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

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