Episode 40: What to Expect in Labor and Delivery with Jennifer Lincoln, MD

In this episode of The Gynarchy Podcast, we talk with board-certified OB-GYN, author, educator, and OB hospitalist Dr. Jennifer Lincoln about what patients should really expect during labor and delivery. We discuss her new book, The Birth Book: An OB-GYN’s Guide to Demystifying Labor and Delivery, and dive into the realities of childbirth, informed consent, birth trauma, patient advocacy, and the current maternal health crisis in the United States.

Dr. Lincoln shares her journey into obstetrics and explains why she felt compelled to write a comprehensive, accessible guide focused specifically on labor and delivery. We discuss how misinformation online, distrust in the medical system, and gaps in prenatal education can leave patients feeling unprepared and disempowered. She also offers practical guidance for advocating for yourself during labor, navigating birth preferences, understanding interventions like epidurals and C-sections, and creating a more informed and empowering birth experience.

Topics we cover in this episode:

• Why Dr. Lincoln wrote The Birth Book and the gap it fills in pregnancy education
• How social media has changed the way patients seek information about childbirth
• Common myths and misinformation about labor, epidurals, inductions, and C-sections
• The growing distrust of physicians and the impact of misinformation online
• How the U.S. maternal healthcare system contributes to poor birth outcomes
• Maternal healthcare deserts and the shortage of OB-GYNs and labor units
• Why labor and delivery care is often undervalued in hospital systems
• How to advocate for yourself during labor and delivery
• Questions patients should ask their providers before birth
• The importance of informed consent and shared decision-making
• Why Dr. Lincoln uses the term “birth preferences” instead of “birth plan”
• Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and misconceptions surrounding repeat C-sections
• Cesarean delivery on maternal request and respecting patient autonomy
• How prior trauma, medical anxiety, and tokophobia can shape birth decisions
• What birth trauma can look like and why patients do not need to “prove” their trauma
• Supporting patients experiencing stillbirth and gaps in physician training around grief and loss
• The role of partners and doulas in labor support and advocacy
• Postpartum depression and anxiety
• What an empowered birth experience can look like
• How providers can improve communication by changing the way they ask questions
• Funny and memorable labor and delivery stories from Dr. Lincoln’s career
• Managing difficult family dynamics and protecting patients’ autonomy during labor
• The ethics of forced medical interventions during pregnancy
• How pregnancy can impact legal and medical autonomy in the United States
• Why declining fertility rates are connected to healthcare access and family support systems
• The longstanding problem of dismissing women’s pain in medicine
• Pain management during labor, gynecologic procedures, and IUD insertions
• Why believing women is essential to improving healthcare experiences and outcomes

Tune in Monday, June 1st, and subscribe to The Gynarchy Podcast to stay updated on future episodes.

Connect with Jennifer Lincoln, MD:
Website: www.drjenniferlincoln.com
Book: The Birth Book: An OB-GYN’s Guide to Demystifying Labor and Delivery
Podcast: Let’s Talk About Birth
Instagram/TikTok: @‌drjenniferlincoln