Welcome to The Birth Squad — where birth meets real talk. Hosted by best friends and OB/GYNs Dr. Ijeoma Bello and Dr. Kimeshia Thomas, this podcast dives into real stories and raw conversations about pregnancy, birth, and reproductive health. Twice a month, we share powerful interviews and insights that center around Black voices and lived experiences.
🎧 Tune in every other Sunday.
📱 Follow us on Instagram: @thebirthsquad | Twitter: @_thebirthsquad
💬 Join the conversation with #thebirthsquad & #thebirthsquadpodcast
Why Are Black Women Still Dying in Childbirth? S4 Ep 8
Black women in the United States are still significantly more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes — and this disparity is not explained by education, income, or genetics. So what is actually driving it?
In this season finale, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello have the honest conversation that too many people are still afraid to have:- Why Black women enter pregnancy carrying both excitement and fear at the same time.
- Why maternal morbidity and mortality often starts quietly — with a headache, swelling, or fatigue that feels different
- How bias in healthcare shows up subtly and why small moments of dismissal can become dangerous fast
- Why Black women second guess themselves before speaking up and how that delay can become deadly- The postpartum warning signs that should never be ignored — preeclampsia, blood clots, cardiomyopathy, infection and more
- How support systems including doulas, partners, and community can help identify complications earlier
- Why postpartum is one of the most medically vulnerable times, and what needs to changeThis is not just a statistic. These are real women. Real families. Real stories.And when women are heard earlier, supported better, and taken seriously the first time — outcomes improve. That is the standard every patient deserves.
📲 Follow us for more:Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤
#TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #MaternalMortality #BlackMothers #PostpartumHealth #BlackWomensHealth #KnowYourRights #HospitalBirth #Preeclampsia #BirthAdvocacy
2 Aug 2026
Why So Many Women Feel Lost After Giving Birth | S4 Ep7
Everyone prepares for the birth. Almost nobody prepares for what comes after.
In this episode, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello break down what the postpartum period actually looks like and why so many women are left feeling overwhelmed, isolated, and unprepared the moment they get home:
Why postpartum recovery takes far longer than anyone tells you
The physical realities of healing after vaginal delivery and C-section
How hormone shifts and sleep deprivation make everything feel heavier
Why your identity, relationships, and sense of self all shift at once
The pressure to "bounce back" and why it's completely unrealistic
The "Want, Need, Help" system for building real postpartum support
When to pay attention to your mental health and ask for help early
Because postpartum is not just physical recovery. It's a full life transition — physically, mentally, emotionally, and relationally. And it was never meant to be survived alone.
🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts — link below.
📲 Follow us for more:
Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤
#TheBirthSquadPodcast #PostpartumRecovery #BlackMaternalHealth #PostpartumMentalHealth #BlackMothers
19 Jul 2026
What Doctors Wish More Women Knew About Birth Trauma Ep 6
"Your baby is healthy. That's all that matters." — But what happens when the birth itself feels traumatic, even when the outcome is good?
In this episode, Dr. Kimeshia Thomas and Dr. Ijeoma Bello break down:
Why birth trauma is defined by how the experience felt — not just the medical outcome
How loss of control and lack of communication during emergencies can lead to trauma
Why a healthy baby does not erase a traumatic birth experience
The real disparities in who feels heard, believed, and supported during labor — especially for Black women
What birth trauma can look like postpartum and why it's often left unaddressed
How to ask for a birth debrief and the questions that help your mind process what happened
When to seek mental health support and what signs to pay attention to
Because two things can be true at the same time. Your baby can be healthy and your birth can still have been traumatic. Your experience matters. Your feelings matter. And you deserve support while processing both.
🎧 Listen now — link below.
📲 Follow us for more:
Instagram & TikTok: @thebirthsquad
Don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode. 🖤
#TheBirthSquadPodcast #BlackMaternalHealth #BirthTrauma #PostpartumMentalHealth #BlackMothers #HospitalBirth #MaternalMentalHealth #BlackWomensHealth #BirthExperience #LaborAndDelivery
Who has been a guest on The Birth Squad
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Phindile Chowa
Shalaya Shipman
Laura Uehara
Kathleen O’Brien Price
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
74
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
71
Contact The Birth Squad
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of The Birth Squad?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
