In this week’s episode of the Midwifery Wisdom Podcast, Augustine Colebrook sits down with Indie McDowell—a classically trained anthropologist and clinically trained midwife with a truly global journey.

Indie began her career working with UNICEF’s Maternal and Neonatal Health Team in Kyrgyzstan before returning to the UK to complete her midwifery training. From there, her path led her to clinical work in Cambodia and Malawi, ultimately drawing her to Ethiopia.

After a year and a half leading neonatal services and emergency obstetric care at a busy referral hospital in rural southwest Ethiopia alongside her colleague Atsede Kidane, the two chose to build something different: their own clinic, rooted in compassion and centered on women’s needs.

Stories from their work in Ethiopia is beautifully captured in the book With Two Souls, co-written by Indie McDowell and Atsede Kidane.

We also dive into what it means to truly commit to place, community, and long-term impact in global birth work.

Are you a midwife called to work beyond borders?

Join us for our upcoming Traveling Midwife Webinar —a 4-part, 8-hour CEU event designed for aspiring and experienced birthworkers who are exploring midwifery on the move.

Led by Augustine Colebrook, and guest traveling midwives, this immersive series will cover legalities, logistics, and cultural considerations of traveling birth work—both international and domestic.

🗓️ Part 1: July 3rd & 9th | 7–9PM EST
🗓️ Part 2: August 6th & 11th | 7–9PM EST

✅ 8 MEAC-approved CEUs

Register now on https://tinyurl.com/travelingmidwife

Hosts Shiphrah and Susanna sit down with Sophia Ortiz, an independent midwife based in Corfu, Greece, to explore what it truly means to walk the path of midwifery.

With over a decade of experience and more than 100 births attended, Sophia brings a deep reverence for birth as both a physiological marvel and a spiritual rite of passage. She shares how her journey—from drama school to midwifery school in the UK, to her current work supporting families in Corfu—helped her realize what she had always known deep down: she is and has always been a midwife.

Learn more about Sophia on her website: https://www.birthingwisdomcorfu.com/

In this powerful episode, hosts Shiprah and Susanna sit down with Adelaide Adubouffour—renowned Perineal Specialist Midwife and founder of Peri Health London—to talk about one of the most overlooked aspects of postpartum care: perineal trauma.

Drawing from her work at West Middlesex University Hospital and nearly a decade of teaching and clinical leadership, Adelaide shares why perineal health matters, how we can improve outcomes for birthing people, and what inspired her to create a globally recognized training program for midwives and doctors.

If you care about pelvic floor integrity, respectful repair, and empowering providers to do better, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about Adelaide's work here:

https://perihealthlondon.com/

We’re still on a break from the Midwifery Wisdom Podcast but will be back with new episodes in just a few weeks!

In the meantime, enjoy these clips from the Q&A section of our latest Teachable e-course, Preventing and Treating Hemorrhage.

This in-depth course is perfect for anyone looking to refresh their knowledge and stay up to date on the latest hemorrhage management protocols in the community birth setting.

Resources:
Preventing and Treating Hemorrhage E-Course
Boundaries for Birthworkers E-Course

This week, we’re bringing back one of our top episodes featuring the one and only Flor Cruz, aka Badass Mother Birther! 🌟

Flor is a: Latina Birth Worker, Birth Influencer, Award-Winning Doula and a Birth Educator with a wildly popular social media account @badassmotherbirther

She’s on a mission to normalize birth and celebrate women’s bodies—no matter how or where they choose to give birth. You won’t want to miss this powerful conversation! 🎧

Today’s episode is a rerun—a timeless favorite from our archives. Three experienced midwives join Augustine Colebrook for an insightful discussion on charting fetal heart tones.

✨ Topics Covered:

• How often should you chart?
• How do you determine if a baseline has changed?
• Most importantly, what data is essential for defensible documentation in case of a bad outcome?

Like we said—an oldie, but a goodie!

🔹 Special Update: The wonderful Ilka Fanni, featured in this episode, has since come a long way in her midwifery journey. She will be a mentor at our upcoming Pathway to Midwifery – New Student Retreat at Yokayo Ranch, March 17-18, 2025!

🎟 Reserve your spot now at www.midwiferywisdom.com.

Resources:
Fetal Heart Tones Course
Defensive Charting Course

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses sensitive topics, including fetal and maternal loss.

Welcome back to the Midwifery Wisdom Podcast! While we take a short break between seasons, enjoy this rerun of one of our most popular episodes. We’ll be back with brand-new episodes in just a couple of weeks!

In this episode, Augustine Colebrook sits down with Roxanne Anderson, a seasoned Texas midwife, for a powerful conversation about faith, birth, and the challenges of midwifery.

Roxanne shares personal stories from her early years, reflecting on her journey as a Christian midwife within the Born in Zion movement. Together, she and Augustine explore the intersections of faith, fear, societal influence, and the role of religion in birth.

Tune in for an insightful and thought-provoking discussion!

What It Means to Be a Birth Rebel – Season 5 Finale! 🎉

This episode with Dr. Melanie Jackson marks the end of Season 5! As a midwife, researcher, and host of The Great Birth Rebellion Podcast, Melanie dives deep into what it truly means to be a "birth rebel." She shares insights from her PhD research on birth outside the system, her experience as a private midwife, and her work mentoring midwives, and expecting parents in Australia and beyond through her impressive online reach!

Join us for this powerful conversation on informed choice, the challenges of midwifery beyond traditional models, and what it takes to create meaningful change in birth care.

We’re taking a short break, but we’ll be back soon with an exciting global adventure in Season 6! We’ll travel the world, meeting midwives from different countries to learn about their wins, challenges, and the incredible ways they are making a difference.

Until then, take care and make sure you're subscribed to our newsletter at www.midwiferywisdom.com to stay up to date! 💜✨