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Monday 1pm - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 1pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

http://www.birthinginstincts.com/, http://patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast

Dr. Stuart Fischbein, OB/GYN, 23564 Calabasas Road , Suite 101, Calabasas, CA (2026)

06/17/2026

#458: Why Home Birth? A New Book For Fathers To Be With Jacob Dubois

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 .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: .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: /
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
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06/17/2026

#470: "Allowed" To Birth with Documentary Filmmaker, Jacinta Lagos
What happens when a birth photographer picks up a camera and decides she can no longer stay silent?
This week, Dr. Stu and Midwife Blyss welcome Jacinta Lagos, an award-winning birth photographer, doula, filmmaker, and creator of the powerful new documentary, Allowed to Birth: The Journey of a Global Midwife.
Born and raised in Argentina, Jacinta grew up believing cesarean birth was simply "how babies were born." After immigrating to the United States and discovering the world of birth photography, she witnessed both the beauty of physiological birth and the realities of obstetric violence. Armed with a single camera, relentless determination, and a passion for storytelling, she set out to create a documentary that challenges the stories we've been told about birth.
Centered around the extraordinary work of global midwife Kristine Lauria, Allowed to Birth weaves together voices from around the world to explore the tension between physiology and policy, autonomy and authority, fear and trust.
Birth belongs to women. Stories preserve wisdom. And sometimes all it takes to change hearts and minds is one person willing to press record.

About Jacinta Lagos:
Jacinta is an Argentinian 40 year old, a mom of 3. She's married to the guy who got a job offer in the USA and decided to move in 2017. She has had a camera in hand since ever. Video and film has always been a passion of her, since she was a little girl. Back in Argentina, she had a successful business in the wedding videography industry, and when she moved to the states with 2 little kids, she decided to stop giving away all of her weekends to attend weddings.
That was when she found out that birth documenting was a thing: in Argentina, that would be completely unheard of.

She started doing birth videography and photography in 2019, got her doula training in 2020 and has attended 200 births since. She has won many awards, she's been published and is considered one of the best birth documentarians in the world. She finds birth work to be her true calling in this life.

In 2024 started working on her first documentary feature film ""Allowed to birth: the journey of a global midwife"", which will come out at the end of the summer.

Website: allowedtobirth.com / jacintalagos.com
Instagram: /
Discussed in This Episode
Argentina's Cesarean Culture
The surprising origin story behind the documentary Allowed to Birth
The significance of the word "allowed" in maternity care
Birth Around the World: Perspectives beyond American maternity care.
The difference between hospital policy and patient rights
Christine Lauria's impact as a teacher and global midwife
An award-winning documentary with one camera and determination
The Hidden Message About Female Obstetricians
Why documenting birth can become a powerful form of advocacy

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

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.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
Caraway Home | Go to Carawayhome.com/instincts for an additional 10% off, or use code INSTINCTS at checkout!

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: /
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
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06/10/2026

#469: Should 38-Week Induction For Big Babies Become A Thing?
This week, Blyss and Stu take a deep dive into the increasingly popular recommendation of inducing labor at 38 weeks for suspected “big babies”.

Prompted by a recent social media post from a prominent obstetric influencer, they examine two studies being used to justify earlier inductions for "big babies" and ask an important question: do the data actually support the conclusions being promoted?

Along the way, Blyss and Stu challenge listeners to look beyond headlines and social media summaries, examine how studies are designed, and consider whether interventions are being recommended based on meaningful risk reduction, or simply because they can be.

The episode emphasizes the importance of respecting nature's design, individualizing care, and helping families understand the difference between relative risk, absolute risk, and true informed choice.

References:
AJOG MFM Article: Induction at 38 weeks for large-for-gestational-age or macrosomic fetuses decreases the incidence of cesarean delivery: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
https://www.ajogmfm.org/article/S2589-9333(26)00008-X/fulltext

The Lancet Article: Induction of labour versus standard care to prevent shoulder
dystocia in fetuses suspected to be large for gestational age in the UK (the Big Baby trial): a multicentre, open-label, randomised controlled trial
https://www.thelancet.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0140-6736%2825%2900162-X

Birthing Instincts Podcast #431: "Hold Your Beer" It's Fetal Macrosomia Guidelines
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1MJg92Du4WLUn7P8ypPBVc?si=SJ6YtH6CRMKClgCDGdXXqw

Discussed in This Episode
Analysis of the BIG BABY Trial
Why statistical significance does not always equal clinical significance
What shoulder dystocia rates actually mean
Large-for-gestational-age (LGA) v true macrosomia
Accuracy limitations of estimated fetal weight
How labels like "big baby" often trigger cascades of intervention
Differences between physiologic birth and hospital management
What informed consent should actually look like when discussing risks
The often-overlooked downstream consequences of routine induction

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

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.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
Caraway Home | Go to Carawayhome.com/instincts for an additional 10% off, or use code INSTINCTS at checkout!

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

06/03/2026

#468: Everybody's Doing It", Not A Legal Standard Of Care With Hermine Hayes-Klein, ESQ.
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 malpractice trial centered on coercion, informed consent, and the growing normalization of mandatory cesarean sections for breech babies.

This is not just a conversation about breech birth. It’s a conversation about power, coercion, medical culture, and whether women still have the right to make informed decisions about their own bodies during childbirth.

If you care about birth autonomy, informed consent, or preserving disappearing birth skills, this is an episode you cannot miss.

About Hermine Hayes-Klein:

Hermine Hayes-Klein, JD is an attorney and advocate for reproductive justice and human rights in pregnancy and childbirth. Hermine works on legal actions and advocacy projects related to preventable injury and informed consent violations in childbirth, and advocacy for access to midwives and doulas around the US and beyond. Hermine began her international advocacy for the recognition of human rights in childbirth when she was teaching law at The Hague University in The Hague, the Netherlands, in 2012, and organized 6 international conferences on that topic in the US, Europe, South Africa, and India. She has worked on many cases related to breech birth for both plaintiffs and defendants.

Website: hayeskleinlaw.com

References:
Realfoodology Podcast - Why So Many Women End Up With C-Sections: Birth Interventions Explained with Dr. Stuart Fischbein
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HChoFaUvAmmHsGMoCRvCp?si=LHN-gYRgS_OgE6f24W2qHA

CHD.TV segment with Stu NEEDED

Mentorship with Blyss: wovenmoon.com

Elena Bridgers Substack: To Home Birth or Not to Home Birth?
https://elenabridgers.substack.com/p/to-home-birth-or-not-to-home-birth?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=l982r

Dr. Sara Wickham Instagram Post
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYPHRC0DPqg/?igsh=NmZwMHNpNGxiY2Vx

Discussed in This Episode
The dangerous misuse of the phrase “standard of care”
Why informed consent is a legal duty, not a physician preference
How hospital policies quietly override individualized care
The lasting trauma many women experience during cesareans and epidurals
The legacy and flaws of the infamous Term Breech Trial
Why bodily autonomy in childbirth matters now more than ever

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

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.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
Caraway Home | Go to Carawayhome.com/instincts for an additional 10% off, or use code INSTINCTS at checkout!

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

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05/27/2026

#467: Magic Wand, The Benefits of Red Light Therapy With Liz Frey....
What happens when the system meant to protect birth starts protecting itself instead?

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 fewer severe tears with planned home birth. But as always, the conversation goes deeper, into absolute vs. relative risk, the infamous cascade of interventions, postpartum trauma, and why hospitals continue doubling down on systems that many families no longer trust.

Later in the episode, pelvic health physiotherapist and Fringe medical director Liz Frey joins the podcast for a fascinating discussion on pelvic floor dysfunction, postpartum recovery, menopause, prolapse, incontinence, breathing mechanics, and why so many women are told their symptoms are “normal” when they’re actually treatable. Liz also explains how red light, near-infrared, and blue light therapy may support healing, tissue health, pain relief, intimacy, and recovery through Fringe’s pelvic wand technology.

This is a wide-ranging conversation about birth, healing, autonomy, and what happens when women finally start getting the support they actually deserve.

About Liz Frey:

Liz is a clinic owner and practicing pelvic health physiotherapist. As an orthopaedic and pelvic health physiotherapist, Liz’s practice focuses on helping women navigate pregnancy, menopause, and everything in between.

Liz is always keen to explore and integrate evidence-based products into her pelvic health practice. Which led her to become the Women’s Health Medical Director at Fringe - a company that believes in helping people heal naturally.

Website: https://fringeheals.com/ code birthinginstincts10 for 10% off

Instagram:
Blog: https://fringeheals.com/blogs/blog/tagged/womens-health.
Email: [email protected]

References:
Realfoodology Podcast - Why So Many Women End Up With C-Sections: Birth Interventions Explained with Dr. Stuart Fischbein
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3HChoFaUvAmmHsGMoCRvCp?si=LHN-gYRgS_OgE6f24W2qHA

CHD.TV segment with Stu NEEDED

Mentorship with Blyss: wovenmoon.com

Elena Bridgers Substack: To Home Birth or Not to Home Birth?
https://elenabridgers.substack.com/p/to-home-birth-or-not-to-home-birth?utm_source=notes-share-action&r=l982r

Dr. Sara Wickham Instagram Post
https://www.instagram.com/p/DYPHRC0DPqg/?igsh=NmZwMHNpNGxiY2Vx

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

This show is supported by
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.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
Caraway Home | Go to Carawayhome.com/instincts for an additional 10% off, or use code INSTINCTS at checkout!

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: /
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
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05/13/2026

#465: For All The Midwives In Texas: Fighting Injustice with Salli Gonzalez & Octavia Martinez, Esq

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 when a midwife follows protocol, transfers appropriately, and still becomes the target?
What happens when unverified screenshots, incomplete records, and social media comments are used to justify suspending a license, without a trial?
And more importantly, what does this mean for the future of midwifery?
This conversation goes beyond the case of one midwife, and beyond what is happening in Texas. This is about the direction birth care is heading in the U.S and why we all need to pay attention.

About Salli:
My love of birth started with my own births, the first on in a typical hospital system, birthing in lithotomy in the OR in 1984. The second baby I chose a birth center and decided to take more control of my choices in birth. I gave birth in a birth center under my own terms, which included eating and drinking in labor, moving with the contractions instead of being tied to the bed with monitors, no IV and limited vaginal exams. This birth propelled me to want to share with the world that birth doesn’t have to be traumatic nor painful. I set out to educate the world, as I had four more babies at home, one of which included a breech birth under qualified hands.
It’s been my life’s work to uphold birth as a normal and natural process of the female body. I’ve taken the steps to attend as many emergency skills preparedness workshops as I can as well as many breech and twin conferences as possible. I’ve also mentored and offered my assistance to newer midwives who are also interested in learning. We are always learning and renewing our skills in midwifery. Midwifery is the future of our country. Without midwifery the true nature of women’s autonomy will be lost.
Instagram:
GoFundMe: gofund.me/a54e40705

About Octavia:
Professional Background
A graduate of The University of Virginia and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, Octavia began her career in Phoenix. As a felony prosecutor and civil litigator, she handled high-stakes matters ranging from commercial trucking defense to complex medical malpractice.
Her time on the defense side — working alongside institutional defendants and their counsel — gave her an understanding of how those cases are built, where the vulnerabilities lie, and what separates the attorneys who win from the ones who simply file. She brought that knowledge with her when she crossed to the plaintiff's side.
The Move to Texas
Bringing this diverse experience to the Rio Grande Valley, Octavia expanded her practice to meet the border region's unique needs. Her scope grew to cover defamation, and specialized defense for medical providers, including physicians and midwives.
South Texas presented a client population that had historically been underserved by high-quality legal representation — complex multigenerational estates, a healthcare industry with its own licensing ecosystem, and individuals whose situations required an attorney willing to engage the full weight of the law on their behalf.
Launch of the Firm
Octavia later paused her legal career to focus on stewardship: homeschooling her children and managing her family's homestead farm. However, she reactivated her license to assist a client whose legal matters had stagnated under conventional representation. That crisis highlighted the urgent need for uncompromised advocacy, leading to the launch of Octavia LaVon Martinez PLLC.
Today, she has become a resource for clients who seek an alternative to the status quo — clients who have been failed by passive representation, whose matters are too complex for a generalist, or who simply need an attorney who will fight with the same conviction they feel about their own case.
Website: octaviamartinezlaw.com
X:

References:
Sham Peer Review: The Leave-of-Absence Trap
Expedited Motion for Hearing (PDF)
Facebook Post and Comments
Facebook Comment #2
Media Release: TDLR Suspends Midwife’s License Following Maternal and Infant Deaths
KLTV Texas midwife requests state to reinstate license amid death investigations

Discussed in This Episode
Midwives under fire, and why this isn’t just a Texas problem
What actually happened in the case of Salli Gonzalez
When outcomes don’t have clear causes, who gets blamed?
The Legal Reality of what is happening
Social Media as “Evidence”?
Anonymous posts, cropped screenshots, and missing context
Why this case could affect doctors, lawyers, and beyond
Licensing doesn’t mean protection

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

This show is supported by
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: /
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
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05/06/2026

464: A Confused Mixture of Topics: Clearing the Desk

This week’s podcast Blyss and Stu come to you with no guest and no single topic, just a “hodgepodge” of what’s been piling up in Dr. Stu’s mind attic.

From collapsing birth options and disappearing breech skills…to food, fear, and the quiet coercion baked into modern maternity care.

It may seem random, but there is a common thread here: Systems replacing skills, policy replacing autonomy, and women left navigating the fallout

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01/29/2026

#450: What’s To Do About Fluoride?

In this week’s episode, Blyss and Stu explores the history, benefits, and controversies surrounding fluoride in drinking water, highlighting different perspectives and potential health implications.

References:
The Way Forward Podcast: Ep 213: The Corrupted World of Medicalized Birth with Dr. Stu Fischbein
The Highwire: EPA LOSES HISTORIC FLUORIDE CASE
The Tennessean: Fluoride has been a public health game changer. Florida is set to ban it anyway
Dr. Stu Blog: Gotta love Dr. Fogelson
Jama Network: Maternal Urinary Fluoride and Child Neurobehavior at Age 36 Months
Book: The Fluoride Deception

Discussed in This Episode
Fluoride: History and Controversies
Skepticism Around Fluoride
Public Sentiment and Legislative Views on Fluoride
Health Risks and Benefits of Fluoride
Concerns About Fluoride in Vulnerable Populations
Filtering Fluoride and Its Impact on Brain Health

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

This show is supported by
Wholesome Organics Beauty Company | Go to wholesomeOBC.com and use the code INSTINCTS for 20% off your order.
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: /
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: [email protected]
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
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Dr. Stuart Fischbein, OB/GYN

06/17/2026

06/17/2026

06/10/2026

06/03/2026

05/27/2026

05/13/2026

05/06/2026

01/29/2026

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