Rephonic
Artwork for Birthing Instincts
Midwifery
Home Birth
Maternal Health
Pregnancy
VBAC
Childbirth
Women's Health
Breastfeeding
Breech Birth
Maternity Care
Postpartum Care
Vaccines
Informed Consent
Public Health
Cesarean Section
Maternal Care
Birth Choices
Holistic Health
Healthcare System
Physiological Birth

The birth world can be overwhelming for parents and practitioners alike. Dr. Stuart Fischbein and Midwife Blyss Young and their combined 55+ years of experience are here to support you in this beautiful rite of passage.Join the weekly conversation as we blend wisdom and humor in discussing our recent births, the latest research, traditional healing, and instinctual birth.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes456Founded5 years ago
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Kids & FamilyParentingHealth & FitnessAlternative Health

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Artwork for Birthing Instincts

Latest Episodes

What happens when hospitals decide informed consent no longer applies to breech birth?

In this powerful and deeply important episode, Blyss and Stu welcome back attorney and birth rights advocate Hermine Hayes-Klein to unpack a landmark Oregon malpr... more

This week, Dr. Stu and Blyss break down a recent Substack article reviewing large studies comparing planned home birth and hospital birth for low-risk women. The data? Fewer interventions, lower C-section rates, fewer infections, less hemorrhage, and... more

What happens when a medication designed to stop hemorrhage quietly starts creeping into routine birth care?

This week, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss take on TXA (tranexamic acid), what it is, when it actually makes sense, and why they’re increasingly co... more

In this week’s episode, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss sit down with Texas midwife Salli Gonzalez and attorney Octavia Martinez to unpack a case that should concern not only licensed midwives, but anyone with a license.

Together they discuss what happens... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Hermine Hayes-Klein
Attorney and advocate for reproductive justice and informed consent in childbirth
Private practice / advocacy
Episode: #468: Everybody's Doing It", Not A Legal Standard Of Care With Hermine Hayes-Klein, ESQ.
Liz Frey
Clinic owner and pelvic health physiotherapist, Women's Health Medical Director at Fringe
Fringe Health/Fringe
Episode: #467: Magic Wand, The Benefits of Red Light Therapy With Liz Frey....
Salli Gonzalez
Midwife
Independent midwifery practice in Texas
Episode: #465: For All The Midwives In Texas: Fighting Injustice with Salli Gonzalez & Octavia Martinez, Esq
Octavia Martinez, Esq.
Attorney (The Law Firm Octavia LaVon Martinez PLLC)
Attorney representing midwives and healthcare professionals
Episode: #465: For All The Midwives In Texas: Fighting Injustice with Salli Gonzalez & Octavia Martinez, Esq
Del Bigtree
CEO of ICAN (Informed Consent Action Network) and filmmaker
ICAN, TheHighWire.com
Episode: #462: When Surrounded, Take The First Opportunity To Fight Like Hell With Del Bigtree
Emily Marson
Founder and CEO of Aphrodite Fertility Acupuncture, integrative fertility clinician
Aphrodite Fertility Acupuncture
Episode: #461: Fertility Back In Balance With Acupuncturist Emily Marson
Angee Hock
Former traditional midwife from Nebraska involved in a high-profile breech birth case
Nebraska traditional midwifery
Episode: #460: The Process Is The Punishment....And The Reward with Angee Hock
Jacob Dubois
Author of Why Home Birth, How Hospitals Turn Birth Into a Medical Procedure, and What the Evidence Actually Shows
Author, Marine Corps officer
Episode: #458: Why Home Birth? A New Book For Fathers To Be With Jacob Dubois
Abby Iovine
Traditional midwife, advocate for medical freedom
Cardinal Birth Midwifery; National Alliance for Traditional Birth Rights (NATBR)
Episode: #456: Principalities & Powers & Protecting Traditional Midwifery with Abby Iovine

Hosts

Dr. Stuart Fischbein
Host of Birthing Instincts; obstetrician with hospital and home birth experience
Blyss Young
Co-host midwife; traditional midwifery advocate

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Convicted s*x offender?!

    Extremely disturbing that this man is allowed to continue operating a podcast after he exploited a PATIENT. Guys we can do better.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Nodice1563
    United Statesa month ago
  • Love this Podcast

    The episode with Barbara Harper was especially incredible. Her decades of experience with water birth, physiological birth, and protecting the mother–baby dyad come through with such clarity and calm authority. She brings both science and wisdom, and the conversation felt like a masterclass in trusting the birth process while still understanding the physiology behind it.

    What I appreciate most about Birthing Instincts is that it invites listeners to think more deeply rather than just telling th... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    YogaJenn11
    United States3 months ago
  • Anti Vax trash

    Started listening last week after finding their shoulder dystocia episode. I’m 35 weeks pregnant and was excited to have a new podcast to listen too. But after the most recent episode, where Stu goes as far as to say “don’t you dare get a vaccine if pregnant” it’s a HARD pass. Isn’t their whole thing supposed to be respecting women’s choices? Guess not. They go on to promote MAHA and the ridiculous vaccine schedule changes that RFK is making that are not based on science. Would not recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Marcisofly
    United States5 months ago
  • Best show for all things birth

    If you want to have a baby or currently pregnant-this is the show you need to binge. Come out of the process a victor and not a victim to the system. Dr. Stu is incredible and women’s birth experiences are changed because of this show.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ForeverAlmostH
    United States10 months ago
  • Thank you for giving me the confidence to do what I intuitively felt was right but lacked in info!

    I am 23 and my husband and I are expecting our first baby! I have always been naturally drawn to a more holistic approach to life but being the outlier in my family tree in that regard, this was a big area of lacking information/wisdom for me! I found your podcast and have been BINGING throughout my pregnancy so far. I never left a review before but had to come here to say thank you so much! I am now CONFIDENTLY preparing for my natural birth with my midwives in August. Everything from vaccines ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Claire123_
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate practical, experience-based guidance and candid conversations.
Overall, the show is a trusted source for birth education and advocacy.
Some criticism centers on language and differing views on medical interventions.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#461: Fertility Back In Balance With Acupuncturist Emily Marson
Q: What inspired Emily to specialize in fertility and traditional Chinese medicine?
Emily recounts her personal journey from finance to discovering acupuncture and TCM after a physical setback, which led her to pursue a career focused on women's health, fertility, and pregnancy.
#460: The Process Is The Punishment....And The Reward with Angee Hock
Q: What exactly were the charges against Angee Hock, and how did the PMA influence them?
Charges included child neglect resulting in death, with a novel framing tied to PMA-based willful intent to harm; the PMA framework was used to argue against standard medical licensure charges by highlighting rights of association and alternative care standards, ultimately shaping the defense strategy.
#455: An Amazing OB Who Listens & Supports Triplets Vaginally with Dr. Michael Hervey II
Q: What are your thoughts on guidelines around breech and multiple gestations, and how should clinicians balance guidelines with individual patient needs?
He argues for skepticism toward one-size-fits-all guidelines, advocates for skilled hands and experience, and supports offering properly selected vaginal delivery options for multiples, while acknowledging the variability in cases and need for careful assessment of each delivery.
#455: An Amazing OB Who Listens & Supports Triplets Vaginally with Dr. Michael Hervey II
Q: How did you become known for vaginal deliveries of triplets, and what is your approach to management of these high-risk pregnancies?
Dr. Hervey describes a shift from rigid protocol to a collaborative model with midwives, focusing on patient autonomy, risk-benefit discussions, and a team-based approach that allows vaginal delivery when safely possible. He emphasizes individualized plans, readiness to intervene if needed, and ongoing communication with the patient and MFM specialists.
#453: Energetic Imprinting & Integration with Pre & Perinatal psychology practitioner, Mary Jackson
Q: What solid recommendations can you provide practitioners for supporting integration for newborns?
Practitioners can support integration by acknowledging the baby's experience, allowing them to express their emotions during the early days after birth, and fostering a calming, nurturing environment.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Birthing Instincts

What is Birthing Instincts about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on birth, autonomy, and a holistic approach to pregnancy and delivery, often featuring midwives, obstetricians, and advocates who challenge mainstream practices. Conversations cover topics like physiologic birth, breech and VBAC decisions, waterbirth, regulatory battles for midwives, and the ethics of medical intervention, all with a practical, experience-driven perspective. A notable strength is the blend of clinical insight with personal stories and advocacy, offering listeners both clear information and a voice for birth freedom and informed choice while maintaining a practical, often lighthearted tone.

Where can I find podcast stats for Birthing Instincts?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Birthing Instincts. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Birthing Instincts and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Birthing Instincts get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Birthing Instincts, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Birthing Instincts?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Birthing Instincts, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Birthing Instincts have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Birthing Instincts has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Birthing Instincts?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Birthing Instincts:

1. Down to Birth
2. Pain Free Birth
3. Evidence Based Birth®
4. The Great Birth Rebellion
5. The VBAC Link

How many episodes of Birthing Instincts are there?

Birthing Instincts launched 5 years ago and published 456 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Birthing Instincts?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Birthing Instincts?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Birthing Instincts from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Birthing Instincts?

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What guests have appeared on Birthing Instincts?

Recent guests on Birthing Instincts include:

1. Hermine Hayes-Klein
2. Liz Frey
3. Salli Gonzalez
4. Octavia Martinez, Esq.
5. Del Bigtree
6. Emily Marson
7. Angee Hock
8. Jacob Dubois

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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