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Birthing Instincts

#451: We are not packaging sausages - Why Doulas should remain independent with Shellie Poulter & Ivy Joeva

Birthing Instincts

Dr. Stuart Fischbein + Midwife Blyss Young

Alternative Health, Health & Fitness, Kids & Family, Parenting

4.8 • 692 Ratings

🗓️ 4 February 2026

⏱️ 103 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week on the podcast, Blyss and Stu take a hard look at what’s happening to the world of doula support as insurance and institutions move in. They’re joined by two seasoned doulas, Ivy Joeva and Shellie Poulter, who bring decades of experience advocating for women in birth. Together, they unpack how policy, regulation, and insurance reimbursement can quietly shift doula care away from individualized, relationship-based support and toward institutional control. They talk honestly about what’s gained, what’s lost, and why protecting the integrity of doula work matters if we truly want better birth outcomes.

About Ivy:

Ivy Joeva is a doula, coach, and educator serving women and couples seeking a conscious path to parenthood. She provides support throughout the childbearing year, including fertility coaching, holistic preparation for birth, postpartum recovery care, and counseling for all forms of pregnancy loss. 

Rooted in a trauma-informed, mind-body approach, Ivy sees these transitions as opportunities for transformation and healing. A graduate of UC Berkeley and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Ivy became a doula in 2009 and serves clients across the United States and abroad.

Instagram: @IvyJoeva

Website: ivyjoeva.com

About Shellie:

Shellie trained in Osteopathic and Naturopathic medicine in 2005 and has been working as a doula/birth keeper and cranio-sacral therapist, mentor and lecturer for over 20 years. She teaches birthing biomechanics and trauma and birth rights informed, non-violent communication courses as well as co-hosting The Birth Untethered Podcast with former midwife and Birthkeeper Kemi Johnson. Shellie lives on a narrowboat with her family, exploring the English countryside whilst campaigning for human rights in birth.

Instagram: @theserenitydoula

Website: theserenitydoula.co.uk

References:

Culture Apothecary with Alex Clark: The Phenomenon Of Parents Opting Out Of Birth Certificates For Their Kids | Midwife Lindsey Meehleis

Dr. Pompa Podcast: What You're Not Told About Birth in the Hospital System with Dr. Stuart Fischbein

The Way Forward with Alec Zeck: Ep 213: The Corrupted World of Medicalized Birth with Dr. Stu Fischbein

The Way Forward with Alec Zeck: Ep 214: Exposing the Most Dangerous Childbirth Myths & Procedures with Dr. Nathan Riley


Discussed in This Episode

Role of Doulas in Individualized Care

Challenges Faced by Doulas

Insurance and Doula Services

Impact of Doula Support on Maternal Outcomes

Regulations and Restrictions on Midwives and Doulas

Navigating Hospital Policies as a Doula

Financial and Operational Challenges for Doulas

Advocacy and Support Strategies for Doulas


 

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


This show is supported by


Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss



Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Transcript

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0:00.0

Welcome to the Burling Instincts Podcast.

0:05.0

I'm Dr. Stewart Fishbein, community-based practicing obstetrician and long-time advocate for birth choices.

0:10.0

And I'm Bliss Young, a licensed midwife.

0:13.0

Join us in our conversational style podcast where we talk about everything birth.

0:17.0

Sometimes we laugh, sometimes we cry, but we're happy that you're here. So here we go.

0:23.1

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.

0:25.7

And of course, good middle of night.

0:27.8

By the way, I'm up a lot in the middle of night these days.

0:30.0

But sleeping has gotten better.

0:33.3

Good.

0:33.8

And I moved back from upstairs, back downstairs into my own bed.

0:37.8

And I think it makes a difference. Good. And I moved back from upstairs, back downstairs into my own bed. And I think it makes a difference.

0:39.8

Good.

0:41.7

Because stairs are no longer a problem for me.

0:44.7

In fact, in my physical therapy, they have me actually doing step-ups.

0:50.0

Well, that's progress.

0:51.1

And you were in Orch County doing teaching with Lindsay Meles this weekend, right?

0:56.9

Yeah. Last week we talked about my trip up to Santa Quinn, Utah, in this past weekend, as I continue my

1:03.1

overdo it trip. This is the overdo it tour that I'm doing, which I'm now done with. Yeah, I spent a couple of days in San Juan

1:12.7

Capistrano, not a bad place to be spending it when the rest of the country is having an Arctic

1:17.9

blast, but it was gorgeous. 18 lovely birth workers hosted by Lindsay, our pal, Lindsay Meles,

1:26.2

who, by the way, you guys can catch on the

...

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