What we need to be doing, I believe, is moving away from the quantitative measurements, which is obstetrics.

It has a place. I do understand that. But to measure it by how many hours, how many centimeters, how many contractions is not the whole picture at all. What would be much better

and as midwives, and I'm really, as a midwife, I'm really, really supporting the midwifery profession

here because our work is qualitative. It's about the quality of experience. Yes, it is about

the mechanical element of birth,

but it's coming from a midwifery perspective

that does not actually ignore the rest of this human being.

Who has a mind, who has emotions, who has experiences,

who has fear perhaps, or whatever. She's a whole person. We as midwives, that's our work.

I'm Cynthia Overgard, owner of hypniburthing of Connecticut, childbirth advocate, and postpartum

support specialist. And I'm Trescia Ludwig, certified nurse midwife and international board certified lactation consultant.

And this is the Down to Birth podcast.

Childbirth is something we're made to do.

But how do we have our safest and most satisfying experience in today's medical culture?

Let's dispel the myths and get down to birth.

I'm Molly, Molly O'Brien. I'm a midwife, and I teach midwives and obstetricians and

anyone who will listen about making birth safer using

the better understanding of the pelvis and the biomechanics for birth.

So how the baby is passing through that beautiful structure of the pelvis.

Been that it for quite a long time.

Well, considering that one of the biggest reasons that women have C-sections today

and the increasing number of C-sections that women are having today

...