S2E15 - Mechanical Induction - Balloon Catheters, Dilation Rods - Part 1

S2E24 - Synthetic Oxytocin Part 4

Unlock the uncomfortable truth behind synthetic oxytocin in childbirth. This episode exposes how this powerful hormone, often hailed as a lifesaver, can secretly cause harm, influence outcomes, and fuel systemic issues in maternity care, all while women remain in the dark. If you've ever felt unsure about the interventions you're offered or want to truly understand your options, this episode is your urgent wake-up call.Join us as we dive into the myths, risks, and real-world stories that reveal how routine use of synthetic oxytocin extends far beyond medical necessity. Discover the startling differences between natural and artificial hormones, the hidden dangers of overuse, and how coercive practices erode women's rights during pregnancy and birth. We break down key insights from the latest research, including the outdated Friedman Curve, and explore how entrenched medical protocols are compromising the safety and dignity of women and babies.This episode offers concrete knowledge for anyone navigating pregnancy, or supporting someone who is. You'll discover:How hospitals are secretly over-medicating with synthetic oxytocin and why this drives up cesarean and hemorrhage ratesThe rare but serious side effects, including water intoxication, more common side effects like fetal distress, often hidden from women. The critical importance of informed consent - what it is, why it’s often denied, and how to advocate for yourself.Why standard labor charts and interventions are based on flawed, non-physiological models that harm mothers and babies.Practical strategies to recognise coercion, support physiological birth, and make choices aligned with your values. The systemic overuse of synthetic oxytocin isn’t just a medical issue, it's a human rights crisis. Women deserve to understand what they’re being offered, what risks accompany it, and the alternatives available. Ignoring these truths perpetuates a cycle of unnecessary harm and trauma, yet knowledge is power. This episode empowers you to question, challenge, and choose a different path, one that honours women’s physiology, rights, and intuition.Whether you’re pregnant, a birth supporter, or simply curious about the truth behind hospital routines, this episode is essential listening. We shed light on the unseen forces shaping modern maternity care and equip you with the insights needed to advocate for safer, more respectful birth experiences. The power to transform birth starts with awareness. Become an Untethered Rebel: https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription [https://birthuntethered.kit.com/products/untethered-rebel-subscription]  Book time with Shellie: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie]  Book time with Kemi: https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me [https://kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me]  Website:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered]  Patreon:⁠ https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join]  Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB [https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB]⁠  Apple Podcast:⁠ https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735]⁠  Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered [https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered]⁠Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/ [https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/]⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/]⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠  [https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/] Support us by buying our merch: ⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch ⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch]  Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie [https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie]⁠⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube]

S2E23 - Synthetic Oxytocin (and some rants) Part 3

Shellie and Kemi further discuss the impacts of synthetic oxytocin on mothers and babies. They reveal how widespread use, overuse, and misuse of this drug are fueling rising cesarean rates, severe postpartum hemorrhage, and lifelong trauma in hospitals worldwide.You'll discover the shattering truths behind the cascade of interventions triggered by synthetic oxytocin, how it increases the risk of fetal hypoxia, brain injury, and lifelong disabilities. The duo breaks down startling statistics: how augmentation doubles, triples, or even quadruples the chances of complications like uterine rupture, obstetric anal sphincter injuries, and abnormal fetal heart patterns. They also expose the corrupting influence of profit-driven medicine, highlighting how institutional complacency and hierarchy turn terrifying emergencies into routine trauma.This episode digs deep into the system’s lies, how women are manipulated into unnecessary interventions, pushed into dangerous “care” that prioritizes protocols over physiology. You'll hear about real cases where delays, gaslighting, and neglect lead to preventable deaths, and why trusting the system is often a silent endorsement of harm. It’s essential listening for any parent, midwife, or birth advocate determined to reclaim birth as a natural process, not a medical catastrophe.If you’re ready to challenge the status quo, understand how to protect yourself and your baby, and learn the hard truths about what’s really happening behind the hospital doors, this episode is your wake-up call. With clear, research-backed insights and no-holds-barred honesty, Shellie and Kemi empower you to make informed choices, question authority, and explore safe alternatives to harmful interventions. Website:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠] Patreon:⁠https: https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠]Spotify:⁠ https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠]Apple Podcast:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠]Youtube:⁠ https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠ Instagram:⁠ https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠]⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠]⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ [⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠]Support us by buying our merch:⁠ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠]Buy us a coffee:⁠ https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠]⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube [https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube]Book Time with us for one to one support: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/bookachatwithshellie] https://Kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me [ https://Kemibirthjoyjohnson.com/work-with-me]

S2E22 - Oxytocin and Synthetic Oxytocin Part 2

Most women aren’t told that synthetic oxytocin; marketed as Pitocin or Synto, is fundamentally different from the natural hormone produced in your body. In fact, this common medical intervention may be quietly altering your birth experience, your bonding, and even your mental health long after your baby arrives. If you’re pregnant, a birth worker, or simply curious about what’s really happening behind hospital walls, this episode is your eye-opener. Shellie and Kemi take an unflinching look at the history, science, and shocking truths about synthetic oxytocin. You’ll discover how this drug, introduced just 70 years ago, has become the most widely used method to accelerate labour, often without women’s full knowledge or informed consent. We break down how synthetic oxytocin differs from the body's own pulsatile hormone, and why this difference can disrupt the delicate hormonal orchestra necessary for a physiologically normal birth. You’ll learn about the hidden cascade of interventions that begin when labor is artificially stimulated, leading to more pain, increased epidural rates, and a cascade of medical procedures that may compromise your baby’s oxygen, bonding, and long-term well-being. Hear why the physiology of natural labour, centered around pulsatile release and feedback loops, is crucial for the health of both mother and child and how interventions can quietly erode that foundation.This episode reveals the shocking association between synthetic oxytocin and higher rates of cesarean, hemorrhage, and breastfeeding challenges, with real stories from women who’ve experienced both worlds. You’ll discover the importance of informed choice, and why trusting your body’s natural rhythms might be one of the most powerful decisions you can make for your birth and beyond.Perfect for expectant parents, birth professionals, and anyone questioning routine hospital practices, this episode is a call to reclaim birth as a natural, hormonal process; respected, supported, and free from unnecessary pharmaceutical interference. Because when we understand what’s really happening, we can make choices that honor the biology, protect the long-term health of mothers and babies, and even transform the future of childbirth. More information about our upcoming gathering and courses: https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthjoyserenitygathering [ https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthjoyserenitygathering] Website:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered] Patreon:⁠https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join⁠ [https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join] Spotify:⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB] Apple Podcast:⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735] Youtube:⁠https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered]Instagram:⁠https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/] ⁠https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/] Support us by buying our merch:⁠https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch⁠ [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch] Buy us a coffee:⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie] ⁠https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube⁠ [https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube]

S2E21 - Oxytocin and Synthetic Oxytocin Part 1

Most women aren’t told just how profoundly synthetic oxytocin, commonly known as Pitocin or Synto, disrupts the natural birth process. Shellie and Kemi reveal how this widely used drug impacts everything from labour physiology to postpartum mental health and breastfeeding success, often without women realising the long-term consequences. The reality is glaring: while synthetic oxytocin mimics contractions, it does not and cannot facilitate the body’s innate hormonal orchestra, leading to more intense, relentless contractions, reduced responsiveness, and a cascade of interventions that can ultimately harm both mother and baby. You'll discover: how this potent drug alters the neuroendocrine dance critical for a safe and effective birth, the history of its development, from crude animal extracts to the synthetic marvel that earned a Nobel Prize and why routine use has become the norm at the expense of physiology. We also break down the shocking associations between synthetic oxytocin and increased epidural rates, cesarean sections, and NICU admissions, illustrating how medical protocols often prioritise speed over safety. Evidence shows a dose-dependent decline in breastfeeding success and a rise in postpartum mental health issues linked to hormone disruption, crucial insights for anyone navigating birth choices. Why does this matter? Because the same interventions that speed up labour often undermine the very systems designed for natural, safe birth. Ignoring this knowledge can lead to unnecessary suffering, trauma, and long-term health impacts. But there’s hope: understanding these dynamics empowers you to make informed decisions, advocate for your body, and seek a birth experience rooted in respect for physiology.Perfect for expectant parents, birth workers, and anyone questioning routine hospital practices; this episode challenges you to see beyond the medicalised narrative. If you care about safe, empowering birth and want to understand the real implications of synthetic oxytocin, hit play now and join the conversation transforming how we think about childbirth. Because when you know better, you can choose better and protect your own sacred experience and that of your little one. More information about our next gathering and upcoming courses: Website:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered] Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join [https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join] Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB [https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB] Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735] Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered [https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered]Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/ [https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/] https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/ [https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/] https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/ [https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/] Support us by buying our merch:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch] Buy us a coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie [https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie] https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube [https://buymeacoffee.com/dujube]

S2E20 - Medicalised Birth with ARM to Freebirth - Caz's birth story part 2

What You Need to Know Before Agreeing to ARM or Amniotomy When your healthcare provider suggests breaking your waters or using artificial rupture of membranes (ARM), do you truly understand the risks involved? This episode reveals the shocking realities behind one of the most common yet controversial obstetric interventions. If you're pregnant, planning a home birth, or simply want to advocate confidently for your body, listen now because this knowledge could change your entire birth story. The myth that ARM speeds up labor is dissected and debunked. Despite widespread belief, research shows that it offers no significant reduction in labor duration and often triggers intense, uncontrollable contractions. Caz shares her personal experience: what was marketed as a quick fix became a catalyst for pain, distress, and long-lasting impacts on her confidence and recovery. You'll discover how this intervention, often performed without full informed consent, can escalate pain, cause infection, and increase the likelihood of emergency cesareans, outcomes that many women are never told about. Cas’s vivid recounting of how an unrequested rupture led to a cascade of emergency interventions underscores the critical importance of informed choice and respecting your body's signals and compares her first birth experience with her second where she made very different choices. This episode invites you to question the routine practices that may be doing more harm than good. The more you understand, the more empowered you'll be to say no and to seek birth support that honors your body’s natural rhythms. Perfect for expectant parents, birth educators, doulas, and anyone ready to reclaim agency over their birth experience. If you're tired of being a passive participant in your care, this episode is your wake-up call. Together, let's challenge the status quo and elevate birth to a standard of respect, safety, and informed choice. Because you deserve a birth that leaves you feeling powerful, not traumatized. Join Cas and the hosts as we uncover the untold truths behind invasive procedures like ARM and arm yourself with the knowledge to make confident choices. Your body, your birth, know the facts, own your power. Website:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/birthuntethered] Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join [https://www.patreon.com/14193903/join] Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB [https://open.spotify.com/show/1kKvf6pjLGDJ5nDBMKPCjB] Apple Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/birth-untethered/id1836371735] Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered [https://www.youtube.com/@birthuntethered] Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/ [https://www.instagram.com/theserenitydoula/] https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/ [https://www.instagram.com/birth.untethered/] https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/ [https://www.instagram.com/kemibirthjoyjohnson/] Support us by buying our merch:https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch [https://www.theserenitydoula.co.uk/merch] Buy us a coffee:https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie [https://buymeacoffee.com/shellie]