Down to Birth
Join Cynthia Overgard and Trisha Ludwig once per week for evidence-based straight talk on having a safe and informed birth, which starts with determining if you've hired the right provider. If we had to boil it down to a single premise, it's this: A healthy mom and baby isn't all that matters. We have more than 30 years' experience between us in midwifery, informed rights advocacy, publishing, childbirth education, postpartum support and breastfeeding, and we've personally served thousands of women and couples. Listen to the birth stories of our clients, listeners and celebrities, catch our expert-interviews, and submit your questions for our monthly Q&A episodes by calling us at 802-GET-DOWN. We're on Instagram at @downtobirthshow and also at Patreon.com/downtobirthshow, where we offer live ongoing events multiple times per month, so be sure to join our worldwide community. We are a Top .5% podcast globally with listeners in more than 80 countries every week. Become informed, empowered, and have a great time in the process. Join us and reach out any time - we love to hear from you. And as always, hear everyone, listen to yourself.
Down to Birth
#312 | Avoiding the Unnecessary Cesarean: A Five-Step Evidence-Based Approach
Today we’re talking about one of the most important—and misunderstood—topics in maternity care: the unnecessary cesarean. In the U.S., about one in three babies is born by C-section, but in physiologic birth settings, that number can be as low as 2–4%. So what’s driving the difference?
In this episode, Cynthia and Trisha unpack the many layers behind the rising cesarean rate and offer a grounded, evidence-based approach for avoiding surgery when it isn’t truly needed. From provider practices to birth environments, timing to interventions, we explore what really makes a difference in protecting your ability to give birth naturally.
We also talk about the deeper side of birth: how your nervous system, your sense of safety, and your trust in your body all play a powerful role in how birth unfolds. If you’ve ever been told you might need a C-section because your baby is “too big,” or you’re wondering how to stack the odds in your favor for a physiological birth—this episode is for you.
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Email Contact@DownToBirthShow.com
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Call us at 802-GET-DOWN
Watch the full videos of all our episodes on YouTube!
Work with Cynthia:
203-952-7299
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Work with Trisha:
734-649-6294
Please remember we don’t provide medical advice. Speak to your licensed medical provider for all your healthcare matters.