BIRTH: The Middle Way Podcast

About BIRTH: The Middle Way Podcast

Weaving together the wisdom found in hospital, home, and free birth with reverence. Raw. Unfiltered. In the medicine we carry as women and mothers. Just as birth, life, death, and womanhood can be messy and nuanced, so will our recordings. Join two mamas, Emma and Sam, as they discuss birth in all it's complexities, nuances, and mysteries. birththemiddleway.substack.com (https://birththemiddleway.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Emma Cardinal and Sam Love

Category

education · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

24 Apr 2025

Latest episode

27 Aug 2026

Latest episodes

29 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   27 Aug 2026

   028: What if the way we talk about birth could change everything?

   Kristine is a midwife with over three decades of clinical experience under her feet. She specializes in areas that many care providers across many dimensions of birth work, and birth support tend to shy away from; breech and multiple births at home. She views both breech and multiple births as variations of normal pregnancy and birth, while also honouring that they are indeed complex encounters that take understanding and skill to navigate. Kristine has walked a path of holding the complexities of birth, alongside a desire for there to be more skilled practitioners in the world who can support mothers and families in being held by midwifery care even in births that can carry the risk of complication. With this, Kristine has chosen to pass her wisdom down to studying birth workers looking to expand their wisdom and skill set into these realms. As may of you know, I am a woman who has experienced an unexpected breech birth at home, so I was particularly exited to step into the rich waters of a conversation with Kristine. I found her to be both deeply passionate, and wildly knowledgable in her path as a midwife, and I am so grateful to see midwifes sharing the wisdom of supporting breech and multiples so more mothers have the opportunity to feel safe in choosing to be in the comfort of their home in these circumstances. I also want to share with you all about a very exciting project Kristine has been a part of. She is the subject of the award-winning documentary Allowed to Birth, which premieres on August 29th! (Coming so soon!). Trailer: Watch Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8s89X4ttG4) (I teared up!! This film is truly something the birth wolrd has been waiting for). Allowed to Birth Website: Click Here (http://allowedtobirth@gmail.com) Kristine’s Personal Website: Click Here (https://kristinelauria.com/) Kristine’s Instagram: Click Here (https://www.instagram.com/globalmidwife64/?hl=en) This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe (https://birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

2. 

   1 Jul 2026

   027: Mother's Stories: Embracing the Mystery of Birth and Beyond with Nicole Hollett.

   It is my belief that when women speak, and tell their stories, that we should listen. Throughout my career as a therapist, women’s coach, and birth attendant, if I could tell you one thread that continues to humble me, it’s the absolute potency at the root of being women, and the unique wisdom, medicine, and gifts that we each carry. There is undeniably something SO profound in listening to our sisters, and allowing for their womb stories, challenges, tribulations, joys, and pains to touch our own hearts. Nicole’s story is one that I find to be deeply and uniquely touching. Her humility, dedication to integration, and ability to open her heart and soul to the truth that is moving through her is something that is truly inspiring. It was an absolute pleasure to sit at her feet and witness the beauty of what she has been moving through and integrating in her life after the birth of her third daughter; a birth that didn’t go as expected, but ended up being the medicine that she needed. Nicole is a devotional woman, wife, and mother who is deeply committed to women returning to their natural design as creatives, mothers, story keepers and community stewards. She does this primarily through the art of photography, craft reclamation, and word weaving. As many of us will be able to related to, Nicole is a woman who has rebirthed herself many times over the years, and is currently in a state of complete remaking in the glorious love and teachings of Christ (a spiritual initiation that was deeply activated in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with her daughter Theia). I feel that this conversation with Nicole presents a unique opportunity for us all to set down our own experiences, beliefs, and emotions, to see what arises in our own inner worlds through listening to another woman’s experience and ever evolving truth. It is an invitation to allow for life to be dynamic, and ever evolving… and there is something so beautiful and sacred in that! Connect with Nicole: Photography Instagram: Click Here (https://www.instagram.com/behold.image.co/) Personal Instagram: Click Here (https://www.instagram.com/behold.her.blossom/) Hope you enjoy the conversation! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe (https://birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

3. 

   14 May 2026

   026: The Way of the Matrona: A Conversation with Elder, Midwife, & Teacher, Whapio.

   This conversation was a long time coming, and a true honour. I am beyond excited to introduce you all to one of the most important women along my path as a birth attendant thus far. Whapio is an Elder who has truly devoted herself to studying the depth of birth, and weaving the wisdom she has absorbed into a women lead model that I feel is truly world changing. It has been nothing short of life changing to sit at the feet of this woman. She has both expanded and reshaped my understanding of what is possible in the realm of women and family lead birth support. I really hope that you enjoy this opportunity to hear her speak into her experiences and ideas around birth and life as much as I did. In this episode of Birth: The Middle Way, Whapio shares many layers of both her wisdom and her experiences. We explore topics such as: finding trust in birth, home birth, the role of a midwife, the power found in listening to women’s stories, birth complications, intuition, altered states of consciousness, Ayahuasca, blame culture, the healing potential in birth, and so much more! Whapio has created many teaching portals and opportunities for women and birth workers, including a doula program, and her staple Matrona Midwifery Certification. She is a homeopath who weaves the wisdom of homeopathy into the essence of her teachings, alongside an extremely in-depth exploration of anatomy and physiology. She empowers her students to know and understand the body in a pursuit to trusting birth MORE, a truly refreshing approach from what is offered in so many other realms of birth education. I honestly couldn’t recommend studying with her more. You can explore her offerings here: The Matrona (https://www.thematrona.com/) Check out her instagram here: Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/whapio_and_thematrona/) And remember to share this episode with anyone who could use a little Elder wisdom and medicine to bless up there day! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe (https://birththemiddleway.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_2)

Contact BIRTH: The Middle Way Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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