The Midwife Podcast

Ep. 31 | Birth & Midwifery in the Philippines - Bernice Tutor

Bernice Tutor is a nurse and midwife based in the Philippines whose path to birth work was shaped by years of serving some of her country's most underserved communities. Before stepping into the role of midwife, Bernice worked in prison healthcare and community health outreach with a nonprofit — experiences that gave her a deep understanding of care across vastly different environments and populations. In this episode, Bernice takes us inside the world of birth and midwifery in the Philippines — a landscape as diverse as its people. She shares what it's like to provide care for the nomadic Badjao people, a sea-dwelling indigenous community with their own relationship to birth, health, and tradition. We also hear about her years at Mercy Maternity, where she witnessed and supported births across a wide spectrum of circumstances. This conversation is a window into what it truly means to meet people where they are — geographically, culturally, and emotionally — and why culturally attuned care is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Ep. 30 | Japanese Midwifery & Birth Culture with Eriko Lalanne

Eriko Lalanne has spent 18 years as a midwife in Tokyo, and now focuses much of her work on supporting expat families navigating Japan's distinct approach to birth and postpartum care. In this conversation, we dig into the cultural values that shape the Japanese birth experience — from remarkably strong postpartum support to attitudes around pain in labor — and what that means for families coming from very different backgrounds. We also hear about her project Midwife World, a platform bringing midwives together across borders to share knowledge and build global connection.

Ep. 29 | Internal Family Systems for Birth Preparation with Kelly Scheuerman

I have a very special guest for this episode, my mother, therapist Kelly Scheuerman. Together we explore how Internal Family Systems (IFS) can be used to prepare for birth and the transition into motherhood. In my years as a midwife, I’ve seen how deeply the psychological experience of birth shapes outcomes. Fear, anxiety, and the need for control can profoundly influence how a woman labors, while emotional and physical safety create the conditions for healthier, more connected births. In this conversation we dive into how IFS can help women build self-trust, soften protective parts, and ask the deeper question at the heart of birth: Can I trust myself to surrender to what life is bringing me?

Ep. 28 | Circles of sisterhood with Dr. Diane Banigo

Ep. 28 | Circles of sisterhood with Dr. Diane Banigo by Sofia Scheuerman

Ep. 27 | The Naturopathic Midwife - Michele Sayball

Ep. 27 | The Naturopathic Midwife - Michele Sayball by Sofia Scheuerman