In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by pediatrician and integrative medicine practitioner Dr. Joel Gator Warsh for a calm, evidence-based conversation about routine newborn interventions and how families can navigate them with clarity rather than fear.

Together, they explore the why behind common recommendations — without oversimplification or pressure — so parents can feel informed, grounded, and confident in their choices.

What You’ll Learn

• Why newborn medical decisions often feel overwhelming
• What vitamin K does and how it reduces the risk of rare but serious bleeding
• What erythromycin eye ointment actually prevents
• Why hepatitis B vaccination is offered at birth — and how guidance is evolving
• How to think about individual risk vs. population-level recommendations
• The nuance around Group B strep and antibiotics in labor
• What the evidence actually shows about Tylenol, vaccines, and autism
• How to evaluate health information without falling into extremes

Learn More from Dr. Gator

Dr. Gator shares more in his book “Between a Shot and a Hard Place” and on his Substack, Instagram, and X accounts—platforms dedicated to bridging the space between polarized medical narratives.

Check out this episode’s blog post for more!

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

Birth is inherently uncertain — and that uncertainty is not something to fear. It’s where flexibility, trust, and empowerment live.

In this episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by Bec Conant (she/her) — a doula, prenatal and postnatal yoga teacher, and hypnobirthing educator with over 25 years of experience — for a reassuring conversation about releasing the myth of the “perfect birth” and learning how to work with whatever unfolds.

Together, they explore how true preparation isn’t about controlling outcomes, but about building the confidence and presence to meet each moment as it arrives.

What You’ll Learn

• Why there is no single “right way” to give birth
• How letting go of outcome-attachment can reduce disappointment
• What it means to build a birth “tool basket” without guarantees
• The difference between sensation and pain in labor
• How fear and tension can intensify discomfort
• Simple ways to calm the nervous system during labor
• Why no one fails at birth, even when plans change

As Bec beautifully reminds us:

“Nobody fails at birth. You can work with anything that comes up — as long as you keep working with it.”

Learn More from Bec

Explore Bec’s work — including prenatal yoga, hypnobirthing, and The Om Birth Approach — at:
🌐 www.ombirthsboston.com

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

Birth is one of the most profound rites of passage a birthing person can experience — yet in modern culture, it is often shaped by fear, urgency, and medicalization rather than trust, presence, and reverence.

In this deeply grounding episode of The Mindful Womb Podcast, Clara is joined by midwife and mentor Anna Lundqvist of Sacred Birth International for a rich conversation about reclaiming birth as a physiological, sacred, and transformational experience. Together, they explore what happens when birth is left undisturbed, how fear biologically alters labor, and why presence may be one of the most powerful tools in the birth space.

This episode is an invitation — to slow down, to trust the body’s wisdom, and to remember birth not as something to be managed, but something to be honored.

What You’ll Learn

• What physiological birth truly means — and why it’s more than just “unmedicated birth”
• How fear activates the nervous system and can slow or stall labor
• Why oxytocin and endorphins thrive in safety, privacy, and emotional trust
• How modern birth environments often trigger biological danger responses
• Birth as a rite of passage — shedding one identity and stepping into another
• The sacred art of space holding for doulas, midwives, and birth supporters
• Why nervous system regulation is essential in the birth space
• Daily practices that support presence, intuition, and longevity in birth work
• How home birth fits into the global birth safety conversation
• Why every birth — including those involving intervention — can still be sacred

Resources

To learn more about Anna’s work and her Sacred Birth Worker Mentorship, visit sacredbirthinternational.com or follow @sacredbirthinternational on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

The first trimester is often treated like a waiting room — something to “get through” before the real pregnancy begins. But what if these early weeks are actually the foundation for everything that follows?

In this grounding, heart-opening episode, Clara reframes the first trimester as a sacred beginning — a season of nervous system imprinting, emotional awakening, identity shift, and deep internal transformation. Whether you’re pregnant now, hope to be, or support birthing people, this episode will help you understand why the first trimester matters more than anyone tells you.

Clara also unveils her brand-new free resource:
✨ The Mindful First Trimester Checklist — a gentle, grounding guide-within-a-guide for navigating the earliest weeks of pregnancy with presence, trust, and intention.
(You’ll also get access to a private Spotify playlist available ONLY through the checklist.)

What You’ll Learn

• The untold truth about the first trimester and why it’s not a pause — it’s a profound beginning
• Three common first trimester mistakes (and what to do instead)
• How nervous system patterns established now influence birth
• Why birth preparation doesn’t start at 30 weeks — it starts with micro-habits of presence
• How mindfulness becomes a companion, not another task
• A grounding practice you can return to any time

Free Resource

Download your free Mindful First Trimester Checklist (includes the private playlist):
👉 www.clearlightbirth.com/checklist

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

Pregnancy is one of the body’s most profound transformations—beautiful, powerful, and sometimes uncomfortable. In this episode, Clara sits down with Dr. Emily Loughery (she/her), a perinatal and pediatric chiropractor, to explore how gentle chiropractic care can support the body (and nervous system) through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery.

You’ll learn how alignment affects not only comfort but also pelvic balance, fetal positioning, and emotional well-being—and how restoring communication between the brain, spine, and body can help you move through pregnancy with more ease and trust.

💫 You’ll Learn

• What chiropractic care actually is—and why it’s about the nervous system, not just bones
• How pelvic and spinal alignment influence baby’s position and labor progress
• What the Webster Technique is and how it supports balanced biomechanics
• The difference between “turning a baby” and creating space for baby to move
• How chiropractic care can ease common discomforts (low-back pain, sciatica, rib tension, pelvic instability)
• Why gentle adjustments are safe throughout pregnancy
• When to start care—and how it supports postpartum healing
• The emotional and energetic benefits of trauma-informed, mindful chiropractic care

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Dr. Emily Loughery – Community Chiropractic of Acton (Massachusetts)
• International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) Provider Directory: icpa4kids.com/find-a-pediatric-chiropractor
• Research on the Webster Technique – Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics
• Clara’s Free Mindful Evidence Checklist – clearlightbirth.com/resources
• Download Clara’s Free Birth Plan Template, used at over 5,000 births.
• Ready for an evidence based birth class? Check out A Path to A Powerful Birth
• The Birth Advocacy Toolkit is a great option for expectant parents who have already taken a class but want to make sure their preferences are heard and want evidence based information to help make their decisions.

Get 20% off your first monthly subscription with NEEDED Vitamins

🎁 Use discount code: CLEARLIGHTBIRTH

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

The ARRIVE Trial and the Term Breech Trial reshaped modern birth practices in ways researchers never intended. From skyrocketing inductions to the loss of vaginal breech training, these studies reveal how even “gold-standard” science can miss the human side of birth.

Clara invites you to take a mindful pause: to look beyond the data, question how evidence gets translated into policy, get curious about how the research was designed, and remember that true evidence-based care must center the individual—not just the research.

You’ll Learn:

• What the ARRIVE Trial and the Term Breech Trial actually found (and what they didn’t)
• How these studies shifted policy, practice, and training worldwide
• Why over-reliance on “evidence” can erase skills, intuition, and personal choice
• How to bring mindfulness into your decision-making about induction, breech birth, or any medical recommendation
• Why traditional and holistic birth practices still matter—even if they’ve never been studied

Mindful Reflection

“Mindfulness isn’t about ignoring evidence—it’s about pausing long enough to ask, ‘Does this research apply to me, in my body, in this context?’
True evidence-based care is a dialogue between research, clinician experience, and your own wisdom.”

Resources Mentioned

• Download Clara’s Free Birth Plan Template, used at over 5,000 births.
• Ready for an evidence based birth class? Check out A Path to A Powerful Birth
• The Birth Advocacy Toolkit is a great option for expectant parents who have already taken a class but want to make sure their preferences are heard and want evidence based information to help make their decisions.
• Evidence Based Birth: Evidence on the ARRIVE Trial and Elective Induction at 39 Weeks
• Evidence Based Birth: Evidence on Breech Birth
• Grobman WA, et al. Labor Induction versus Expectant Management in Low-Risk Nulliparous Women. NEJM, 2018.
• Evidence Based Birth: “Evidence on the ARRIVE Trial and Elective Induction at 39 Weeks.”
• Nethery E, et al. Obstet Gynecol, 2023. Post-ARRIVE induction impact study.
• Hannah ME, et al. Planned Cesarean vs Planned Vaginal Birth for Breech. Lancet, 2000.
• Kotaska A. BMJ, 2004. “Inappropriateness of RCTs for complex intrapartum phenomena.”
• Goffinet F, et al. PREMODA Study. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 2006.
• RCOG Green-top Guideline No. 20b (2017).
• ACOG Committee Opinion No. 745 (2018).
• SOGC No. 384 (2019).

Get 20% off your first monthly subscription with NEEDED Vitamins

🎁 Use discount code: CLEARLIGHTBIRTH

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

We’re exploring a topic that often sparks curiosity (and sometimes a little skepticism): placenta encapsulation. Our guest, Adwapa Asensio—doula, mother, and founder of DouDouKare—joins Clara to unpack the science, culture, and spirit behind this centuries-old practice. Adwapa describes birth as both sacred and messy, and her journey into placenta encapsulation grew from a deep desire to honor the body’s innate wisdom.

Together, we discuss:

• What placenta encapsulation actually is (and how it’s done)
• Reported benefits like mood balance, energy support, and milk production
• The cultural and historical roots of placenta use around the world
• Safety considerations, hygiene standards, and when encapsulation isn’t recommended
• How to find a reputable encapsulation specialist and what questions to ask

Whether you’re intrigued, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this episode invites you to approach the topic with curiosity—not judgment—and to remember that informed choice is always the goal.

Resources Mentioned:

• DouDouKare – Adwapa Asensio’s website
• Postpartum Support International
• CDC Placenta Safety Guidelines
• Evidence Based Birth® has a helpful article that gives an overview of the research on the topic.

Get 20% off your first monthly subscription with NEEDED Vitamins

🎁 Use discount code: CLEARLIGHTBIRTH

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.

Birth isn’t something to be controlled—it’s something to be surrendered to. Through real stories, gentle wisdom, and practical reflection, we explore why control can actually hinder the birthing process—and how cultivating trust, presence, and self-compassion can open the door to a more empowered experience.

You’ll learn:

• Why “doing everything right” doesn’t guarantee a smooth birth
• How the myth of control creates tension and slows labor
• What surrender really means (and what it’s not)
• A client story that shows the power of letting go
• Simple ways to prepare for presence, not perfection
  
  

This episode is a heartfelt reminder that true power in birth comes not from force, but from flow.

✨ Mentioned in this episode:

• FREE Birth Plan Template
• Clara’s Birth Advocacy Toolkit

Get 20% off your first monthly subscription with NEEDED Vitamins

🎁 Use discount code: CLEARLIGHTBIRTH

***If these topics light you up, please rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening.

After you review the show - snap a pic and upload it here - and I’ll send you 70 printable affirmation cards as a thank you.

Your feedback helps this podcast grow, and I am so grateful for your support!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for personalized advice.