The Women's Village

The HORMONE Chat with Dr. Beatty; Understanding Them Changes Everything

In this episode of The Women’s Village podcast, Morgan sits down with hormone specialist and doctor of nursing practice, Dr. Presten Beatty, to talk about something so many women are quietly struggling with: feeling “off,” exhausted, anxious, flat, or unlike themselves—and being told over and over that “everything looks normal.” Dr. Beatty shares how he moved from traditional primary care into hormone-focused care after watching patients’ lives change when their hormones were actually addressed, and he breaks down what hormones really are, what they do in the body, and why imbalances can be so hard to recognize and treat. You’ll hear a grounded, practical conversation about the messy middle between “your labs are fine” and “I don’t feel fine,” including the limits of standard lab ranges, why perimenopause and postpartum can feel so destabilizing, and when it might be time to get your hormones checked. Morgan and Dr. Beatty also dive into the non-negotiables that make hormone therapy work better—like strength training and real sleep hygiene—and why lifestyle and hormones are partners, not either/or. This episode is part hormone 101, part validation, and part gentle nudge to stop white-knuckling your way through feeling miserable. If you’re tired of feeling unlike yourself, wondering if it’s “just your hormones,” or you’re curious whether hormone therapy could be worth exploring, this episode will help you feel more informed and less alone. CHECK OUT DR. BEATTY HERE BY CLICKING THIS LINK [https://thebirthvillage.org/provider/presten-beatty/] If you thought of a friend, client, or loved one while listening—especially someone who keeps being told “everything is fine” but feels anything but—send this episode their way. Sometimes the first step toward feeling better is simply knowing there are more options and someone who will really listen. CHECK OUT THE VILLAGE: ⁠⁠⁠https://thebirthvillage.org/⁠⁠⁠ [https://thebirthvillage.org/] Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] ⁠⁠@thebirthvillagepodcast⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/]⁠⁠⁠@thebirthvillage_⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillage_/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@embro_wellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/embro_wellness/] Join the new Facebook group to connect with other women, ask questions, and get real recommendations from the community, as well as from trusted providers in The Village network. ⁠⁠FACEBOOK GROUP⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bw7v5TTcz/] Special thanks to Jives for our music and Hailey Gafa Art for our beautiful album cover.

Avoiding Tearing in Birth: Support, Not Perfection

Induced, Informed, and Supported: Kayla’s VBA2C Journey

In this episode of The Birth Village Podcast, Morgan sits down with mom of three, Kayla Cannon, to walk through her powerful journey to a VBAC after two C-sections (VBA2C). Kayla shares how preeclampsia, an undiagnosed kidney disease, and high-risk pregnancies shaped her first two births, and why she became so determined to experience a vaginal birth the third time around. This conversation is raw, honest, and full of the little details that so many women will recognize from their own stories. You’ll hear how Kayla went from feeling uneducated and swept along by the “cascade of interventions” in her earlier births to feeling informed, supported, and truly heard as she prepared for a VBA2C. She talks about the emotional whiplash of changing providers mid-pregnancy, advocating for a gentler induction, navigating a complicated relationship with her care team, and leaning hard on her doula and chiropractor for both physical relief and emotional courage. Kayla doesn’t shy away from the hard parts—especially her difficult tear and long postpartum healing—but she also shares the deep joy of finally pushing her baby out herself and how that experience changed how she sees her own strength. We dive into: * Kayla’s first birth at 37 weeks with preeclampsia, an induction that escalated to an emergency C-section, and the fear and trauma of her first ever surgery. * Her second pregnancy and repeat C-section: why she felt pressured into an early epidural and surgery, how anxiety and a lack of education played into her decisions, and what made that recovery surprisingly smoother. * What shifted in her third pregnancy: lifting weights, taking her health seriously, listening to VBAC stories, and becoming passionate about having a VBA2C—even in the context of kidney disease and high-risk care. * Risking out of home birth care at 25 weeks, transferring to a local OB practice, and the emotional rollercoaster of clashing with providers while still needing their help to safely induce. * How she found her doula Eli and chiropractor Dr. Walter Staley through The Birth Village, and why those two supports felt absolutely essential to her confidence, coping, and baby’s positioning. * The details of her slow, low-dose Pitocin induction, laboring in the tub, finally asking for an epidural, and the relief and shock of hearing she was complete at 10 centimeters. * Pushing on her back, catching her own baby, and the intense contrast between the beauty of her VBAC birth and the reality of a significant internal tear and long, painful postpartum healing. * The honest truth about recovery: comparing C-section vs. VBAC healing in her body, what she wishes she might have tried differently, and how long it really took to feel like herself again. * Kayla’s heartfelt advice for VBAC hopefuls: educate yourself, confront the fear of uterine rupture with facts, advocate fiercely for your preferences, and surround yourself with a team who believes in you. * Why she says hiring a doula was “worth every penny,” how chiropractic care supported both pain relief and baby’s position, and why she would still recommend VBAC—if it’s what you truly want. Kayla’s story is a reminder that birth is both beautiful and brutally honest—and that having the right support, information, and community can change everything. It’s also a testament to how much it means when another woman says, “I did this, and you can too.” CHECK OUT THE VILLAGE: ⁠⁠⁠https://thebirthvillage.org/⁠⁠⁠ [https://thebirthvillage.org/] Follow us on Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] ⁠⁠@thebirthvillagepodcast⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/]⁠⁠⁠@thebirthvillage_⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillage_/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@embro_wellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/embro_wellness/] Join the new Facebook group to connect with other women, ask questions, and get real recommendations from the community, as well as from trusted providers in The Village network. ⁠⁠FACEBOOK GROUP⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bw7v5TTcz/] Special thanks to Jives for our music and Hailey Gafa Art for our beautiful album cover.

Where Do I Even Start?? How To Find The Right Provider

In this episode of The Birth Village Podcast, Morgan and Trisha talk about how to ask for help, get the support you really need, and find providers who actually align with your values and goals—especially around pregnancy and birth, but also for women’s health in general. Whether you’re navigating a UTI, a high-risk pregnancy, or just trying to choose between an OB, midwife, or doula, this conversation is all about tuning into what you want and building a care team that feels right for you. We dive into: * Why the first question isn’t “Who should I see?” but “What do I want?” when it comes to birth, care style, and interventions * The difference between holistic and medical approaches (from UTIs to birth) and how to decide which route fits your situation and comfort level * What “dual care” looks like (seeing both an OB and a home birth midwife) and how it can give you the best of both worlds in pregnancy support * What it actually feels like to see a home birth midwife vs a standard OB office—and why the environment and relationship matter so much * Why it’s okay (and smart) to interview providers, bring questions, and even switch providers late in pregnancy if something doesn’t feel right * How to listen to your intuition, notice red flags, and pay attention to whether a provider genuinely seems interested in you as a person * Building a birth and wellness “team” (OB, midwife, doula, chiropractor, pelvic floor therapist, etc.) that supports your values, not just your symptoms * Using community—friends, local Facebook groups, and shared stories—to get real-world recommendations and clarity about what you want * Giving yourself permission to seek second opinions, explore options outside your immediate area (like telehealth), and stop settling for care that doesn’t feel good This episode is an encouragement to advocate for yourself, ask lots of questions, and remember that you are hiring your providers—they work for you, and you’re allowed to find a better fit if something feels off. You deserve care that is respectful, relational, and aligned with the kind of birth and life you’re trying to create. CHECK OUT THE VILLAGE: ⁠https://thebirthvillage.org/⁠ [https://thebirthvillage.org/] Follow us on Instagram:⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] @thebirthvillagepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/]⁠@thebirthvillage_⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillage_/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@embro_wellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/embro_wellness/] Join the new Facebook group to connect with other women, ask questions, and get real recommendations from the community, as well as from trusted providers in The Village network. FACEBOOK GROUP [https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Bw7v5TTcz/] Special thanks to Jives for our music and Hailey Gafa Art for our beautiful album cover.

You Still Belong Here: Building a Village for Every Season of Womanhood

In today’s episode, Morgan and Tia sit down to reflect on growth, change, and what it really means to have—and be—a village. This new year brings an exciting shift for The Birth Village: while birth and postpartum remain at the heart of what we do, our mission is expanding to support women through every stage of life—from the teen years and menstrual health to motherhood, midlife, and beyond. We talk about the power of showing up for one another, what true community looks like, and why “having a village” matters no matter your age or season of life. We dive into: * Why The Birth Village is expanding beyond pregnancy and postpartum * The importance of women supporting women through every stage of life * How community connection can protect your mental and emotional well-being * The difference between pretending to care and actually showing up * The small, meaningful ways we can practice being a village every day * New ways to connect with the community in 2026: Facebook groups, local meetups, and more Whether you’re a new mom, an empty-nester, or anywhere in between, this episode invites you to step into connection, compassion, and collective strength. Because no matter what season you’re in—you still belong in the Village. 🎧 Tune in and be inspired to create and nurture your own community of support. CHECK OUT THE BIRTH VILLAGE: https://thebirthvillage.org/ [https://thebirthvillage.org/] Follow us on Instagram: @thebirthvillagepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillagepodcast/] @thebirthvillage_ [https://www.instagram.com/thebirthvillage_/] ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@embro_wellness⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/embro_wellness/] And don’t miss our upcoming community events and new Facebook group—it’s where real women, real stories, and real support come together. Thanks to Jives for our music and Hailey Gafa Art for our beautiful album cover!