Wombs of the World: A Birthwork Podcast About Culture & Care
Birth, culture, placentas, the matriarchy, and the conversations bringing me so much joy.
Something that has been bringing me SO MUCH JOY recently is the Wombs of the World Podcast. Are you listening?
I recorded so many incredible conversations over the summer, and they are making their way into the world every week thanks to Anna Yusko, our editor extraordinaire, and Kyndrick Peachey, our community manager.
As I listen back to conversations we had months ago, I find myself sitting in awe of the expertise, wisdom, vision, and revolutionary work of our guests.
Care is revolutionary, in my opinion. Especially in a world that values profit and production over relationships and health. Making time to listen, share knowledge, question the systems around us, and imagine different ways of caring for one another feels like meaningful work.
And what a gift it is to get to do that with you.
A Seat at Our Breakfast Table
If you have ever been on one of our trips, I have been told the podcast sounds a lot like our breakfast table conversations. And honestly, that makes me so happy.
One question leads to another. Someone shares a practice from their community, someone else brings a completely different perspective, and suddenly we are talking about birth, politics, ceremony, grief, or what it would take to build a more caring world.
That curiosity is at the heart of this podcast. Culture is dynamic, birth is universal, and there is so much we can learn from one another when we make space to listen.
Whether you are a doula, midwife, parent, healthcare professional, or simply someone curious about how we care for families, you are invited to pull up a chair.
Here are a few conversations to get you started.
Birth, Bodies, and Intimacy with Anna Linde
Sexologist Anna Linde brings a perspective that reaches into how we understand our bodies, communicate boundaries, experience pleasure, and stay connected in relationships.
We talk about her journey from birth trauma into sexology, intimacy after having a baby, and the conversations couples can have before becoming parents. We also explore intuition, anxiety, and learning to recognize our needs. There is so much here for anyone supporting families through the changes that come with parenthood.
Fertility, Chinese Medicine, and Body Literacy with Dr. Susan Fox
With Dr. Susan Fox, we explore fertility through the lens of traditional Chinese medicine, alongside questions about egg freezing, reproductive timing, and understanding our bodies.
Dr. Fox shares her perspective on acupuncture, herbs, lifestyle, and reproductive wellness. Our conversation also includes sperm health, the pressures surrounding fertility decisions, and the transitions of perimenopause and menopause. I love how many questions this opens up about the reproductive education we receive and the information we wish we had encountered earlier.
Birth Justice, Identity, and Advocacy with Ilana Ybgi
Ilana Ybgi brings her experiences as a Black and Jewish woman into a conversation about the ways identity, history, and community shape our relationships with maternity care.
We explore medical bias, historical trauma, trust between families and providers, and what culturally responsive care can look like within existing systems. We also talk about the emotional demands of reproductive justice advocacy and the support needed to sustain that work. This is a conversation about listening closely to experiences that healthcare systems too often overlook.
The Red Tent and Menstrual Wisdom with Maxime Lichtenberg
With doula Maxime Lichtenberg of Red Tent Love, we explore menstrual cycles, women’s circles, and the possibilities of gathering around experiences so often surrounded by silence or shame.
We discuss the Red Tent, honoring a young person’s first period, the symbolism of menstrual blood, and making room for rest and reflection. Maxime shares her perspective on ritual and the transitions of womanhood, opening up questions about what we teach young people about their bodies and how community can accompany them.
Solarpunk, the Matriarchy, and Imagining Something Different with Julia Reingold
You can hear me barely contain my enthusiasm in this conversation with Julia Reingold about solarpunk and the matriarchy. Truly, how could I possibly remain calm?
Together, we explore hopeful visions of communities organized around sustainability, cooperation, and care. We connect those ideas to postpartum traditions, friendship, chosen family, and the undervaluing of caregiving. We also discuss how people of all genders can participate in building healthier communities. This one gives us room to imagine what we want to create together.
The Placentaaaa and Traditional Midwifery with Miriam Avalos
Our most listened-to episode features the brilliant Mexican midwife Miriam Avalos, and yes, we talk about the placentaaaa.
Miriam shares how midwifery traditions differ across Mexico’s regions and communities. We explore placenta ceremonies, blessings, naming ceremonies, temazcal, and the significance of honoring birth as a cultural and spiritual transition. Our conversation also considers how traditional knowledge is preserved and shared, including the questions of cultural appreciation and appropriation that arise when we learn across cultures.
Pregnancy Loss and Compassionate Support with Sabrina Fletcher
Sabrina Fletcher is a pregnancy-loss doula who specializes in termination for medical reasons, often called TFMR. She shares her experience of losing a deeply wanted pregnancy and how it shaped the support she now offers others.
We discuss grief, stigma, the language surrounding loss, pregnancy after loss, and gaps in care. For birthworkers and loved ones, this conversation offers a chance to reflect on how we accompany someone through heartbreak, particularly when we cannot find the words.
(This episode includes discussion of fetal diagnoses, abortion, pregnancy loss, and infant loss. Please listen with care.)
Birth, Death, and Honoring Grief with Amana Be Love
Birth and death worker Amana Be Love joins me for a tender conversation about pregnancy and infant loss, ritual, and making space for grief.
Amana shares her personal spiritual perspectives on spirit babies and the connections some parents experience with their babies. We also explore ways of honoring babies who have died, the importance of community, and staying present without rushing someone toward healing. This is an invitation to listen with compassion and make room for the meanings people find in their own experiences.
Community Over Competition with Evan Cohen
With Evan Cohen, we get into the realities of building a sustainable life and business in birthwork.
We talk about boundaries, imposter syndrome, different sources of income, and working collaboratively with nurses and hospital care teams. We also explore mentorship, marketing, and building relationships with other doulas. For anyone wondering how to turn their calling into a practice that can support them, this conversation makes space for the practical questions that come with doing caring work.
Sustainable Doula Work with Hannah Gray
Hannah Gray shares her transition from healthcare technology into full-time doula work and how she brings her digital skills into a practice rooted in relationships and care.
We explore fair rates, valuing your work, building community, and balancing intuition with structure. Our conversation also considers how to create a fulfilling practice while taking burnout seriously. I love making room for these questions, because birthworkers deserve support as they figure out how to keep showing up for families and themselves.
A Place to Keep Learning Together
Some episodes introduce a perspective you may never have encountered. Others might give language to something you have felt for years. Some feel like mentorship, and some may simply leave you wanting to call a friend and keep talking.
What a gift it is for me to ask questions with your curious ears in mind, learn from our guests, and share those conversations with you.
I hope this podcast helps you feel connected to a wider community of people who care deeply about birth, families, and the world we are creating together.
Where Do You Listen to Your Podcasts?
Find the Wombs of the World Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, with new conversations released weekly.
It would be so helpful if you would follow or subscribe, or give an episode a like whenever you listen. And please share it with someone who might benefit from or enjoy hearing it. Your doula group chat, your midwife, your sister, or that friend who wants to talk about the matriarchy over dinner.
Let’s make the algorithm gods feel honored, appreciated, and sufficiently adored so that they will bestow these conversations upon a few more people. A humble offering of likes and shares, if you will.
We are also always looking for people and organizations who would love to sponsor the podcast. If that feels like something you would like to do, reach out to our team and we will send you our media kit.
Thank you for listening, for being curious, and for caring. I continue to feel so honored to do this work and to share it with you all.
With all my love,
Charlotte Brielle
Founder, Wombs of the World
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