Birthing Instincts

One embryo. Two babies. And a birth story that challenges just about everything we've been taught about twins.
What happens when a woman trusts her body, questions the system, and refuses to let fear write her birth story?
This week, Blyss and I welcome Ashley, whose journey to motherhood took more than a few unexpected turns. After eight years of trying to conceive, an IVF transfer led to a surprise no one quite knew how to explain. But that was only the beginning.
What followed was a roller coaster of medical warnings, conflicting opinions, a midwifery team that dropped her by text, and a determination to birth on her own terms.
And just when you think you've heard it all, wait until you hear how these two little girls finally entered the world.
This is more than a twin birth story. It's a conversation about intuition, informed choice, the limitations of modern obstetrics, and what becomes possible when we stop treating every variation of normal as a pathology.
Blyss was there for the birth, and I'm hearing much of the story for the first time. Believe me, it's a good one.
Are we protecting women from risk, or are we sometimes protecting the system from allowing women to choose?
Pull up a chair, fellow travelers. You won't want to miss this one.

About Ashley Sheffer
Ashley is a mother, creative spirit, and self-described “ever-changing goddess” whose journey has taken her through the worlds of natural health and wellness, entrepreneurship, technology, and music. After years of wearing many different hats, she's now embracing her favorite role yet: being a mom.
With a deep connection to nature, intuition, and holistic living, Ashley has traded the hustle of city life for a quieter existence surrounded by woods, chickens, and family. Her journey through motherhood has been anything but conventional, and her extraordinary twin birth story is a beautiful reflection of her belief in trusting her body and following her own path.
Instagram: @ashleysheffer

References:
TWIN HOME BIRTH: OUTCOMES OF 100 SETS OF TWINS IN THE CARE OF A SINGLE PRACTITIONER
https://bit.ly/twinhomebirth

Dr. Stu’s Podcast #124: Sara’s Story
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-stus-podcast-124-saras-story/id1552816683?i=1000508761525

Discussed in This Episode
Breaking Generational Trauma
Have Women Been Conditioned to Ignore Their Instincts?
Meditation, Manifestation, and Changing Your Mindset
Free Birth, Feminism, and Women's Autonomy
Acknowledging Risk Without Letting Fear Lead
What Happens When Partners Disagree About Birth?
Learning to Welcome the Unknown
How Birth Preparation Can Transform Motherhood

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
Tallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your order
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
Subscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Can we prepare for the birth we want while still surrendering to the birth we get?
Our guest, Jenée Carlson, experienced two births that couldn't have been more different. Her first was a home birth filled with suffering. Her second? A free birth she describes as completely painless, peaceful, and blissful.
Same woman. Same body. So what changed?
Jenée joins us to explore the power of our beliefs, the conditioning that teaches women to distrust their instincts, and what happens when we stop outsourcing our authority to everyone else.
We get into manifestation, meditation, generational trauma, the uncomfortable truth about personal responsibility, and why some people seem downright offended when another woman has a beautiful birth experience.
About Jenée
Jenée is a prenatal mentor helping women across the globe align with their dream birth experience through intentional mindset shifts, paradigm transformation, guided meditation, & nervous system regulation. Her work bridges neuroscience & intuition, helping women understand how their beliefs, thoughts, & emotions can shape their birth experience. She guides women to reconnect with possibility & consciously create the experience they desire.
After experiencing two profoundly contrasting births—from a homebirth full of suffering to a freebirth that was completely PAINLESS, calm, & filled with bliss—Jenée discovered firsthand that a difficult birth experience does not have to define what is possible in the future. That transformation changed the course of her life & her work.
Since then, she has supported women from Mexico to Australia, & across the United States. Her experiences have shaped an empowerment-based framework, that provides women with the tools to approach their birth experience with greater awareness, intention, & trust.
Website: JeneeCarlson.com
Instagram: @Jeneecarlson14

References:

Dr. Stu’s Podcast #162: Let’s Talk About Skye
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-stus-podcast-162-lets-talk-about-skye/id1552816683?i=1000508761647

Birthing Instincts #314 Low Platelets & Deficiencies of Wisdom
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/314-low-platelets-deficiencies-of-wisdom/id1552816683?i=1000617828516

BroadandLiberty.com: Midwives, doctors discuss home births
https://broadandliberty.com/2026/10/05/midwives-doctors-discuss-home-births/

28 Pennsylvania Code Chapter 137
https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter137/028_0137.pdf

Pain Perception in Advanced meditators 
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23000783/

Rewired by Dr. Joe Dispenza 
https://www.gaia.com/series/rewired

Reclaiming Birth
https://www.reclaimingbirthconference.com/

Discussed in This Episode
Breaking Generational Trauma
Have Women Been Conditioned to Ignore Their Instincts?
Meditation, Manifestation, and Changing Your Mindset
Free Birth, Feminism, and Women's Autonomy
Acknowledging Risk Without Letting Fear Lead
What Happens When Partners Disagree About Birth?
Learning to Welcome the Unknown
How Birth Preparation Can Transform Motherhood

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
Tallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your order
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
Subscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

What if the answer to our mental health crisis isn't another prescription?
We're living in a world where depression, anxiety, and loneliness are seemingly everywhere. And somehow, despite more diagnoses, more medications, and more money being poured into mental health treatment, we're still struggling. So what exactly are we missing?
This week, investigative journalist Jeffrey Jaxon of The HighWire joins Blyss and Dr. Stu for a conversation that might make you rethink everything you thought you knew about mental health.
From the chemical imbalance theory and the uncomfortable questions surrounding SSRIs to the pharmaceutical industry's influence on medicine, Jeffrey isn't afraid to go where mainstream conversations often won't.
We're not suggesting medication never has a place. We're asking whether we've forgotten that healing involves more than a prescription.
Because maybe the real mental health crisis isn't just about what's happening in our brains. Maybe it's about what we've lost along the way.
Join us for a conversation that challenges the narrative, asks uncomfortable questions, and reminds us that being human is about more than just managing symptoms.
About Jefferey Jaxen
Jefferey Jaxen is a veteran investigative journalist covering medical, health and a limitless array of breaking news. Also featured in his weekly segment, The Jaxen Report on The HighWire. An accomplished documentary film maker, his film series Jefferey Jaxen Investigates exposes the compelling topics of our time. 
Website: TheHighWire.com / highwire.plus
Substack: substack.com/@jeffereyjaxen
Instagram: @realjeffereyjaxen
References:

https://thehighwire.com/plus/show/jefferey-jaxen-investigates/

https://thehighwire.com/plus/video/jefferey-jaxen-investigates-the-mental-health-crisis-part-1/

https://jeffereyjaxen.substack.com/p/watch-new-episode-of-the-download-288

https://thehighwire.com/the-download/

The Isabella Brown Show: How SSRIs Are Silently Destroying Gen Z, One Zoloft at a Time ft. Lauren Friedman 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4NGoUjOkCEQkMlKZC3pFhJ?si=glcoypyGTgy-fMMP-49LbA

Treatment and Management of Mental Health Conditions During Pregnancy and Postpartum
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/clinical-practice-guideline/articles/2023/06/treatment-and-management-of-mental-health-conditions-during-pregnancy-and-postpartum

An Inconvenient Study
https://www.aninconvenientstudy.com/

Discussed in This Episode
What Is the Mental Health Crisis?
Social Media, Dopamine, and the Changing Brain
Personal Responsibility in a Medicated World
SSRIs, Prozac, and the Questions We Should Be Asking
Big Pharma, Medical Journals, and the Power of Marketing
When SSRIs Help: Understanding the Risks and Benefits
What Happens When You Stop Taking SSRIs?
Beyond the Pill: Sunlight, Movement, Sleep, and Purpose
 Ayahuasca, Psychedelics, and a Different Approach to Healing

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
Tallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your order
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use  code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
Subscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Listen to women.
Seems simple enough. And yet, here we are.
This week, the stories in our inbox keep bringing us back to the same uncomfortable truth: women know when something feels wrong. They know their bodies. They know their babies. They know their histories. And far too often, instead of being listened to, they're dismissed, frightened, managed, or told that someone else knows better.
One mother screamed that she could feel her cesarean, and was told, “There’s no way she feels that.”
Another was sent down the familiar rabbit hole of scans, labels, scary possibilities, and intervention because her baby measured small… while seemingly no one stopped to consider that maybe small parents sometimes make small babies.
And then there's a twin home birth that ends in unimaginable loss—a story that challenges the idea that a tragic outcome automatically means someone made the wrong choice. Sometimes everyone does everything right, and tragedy still happens.
These are the stories we need to be willing to hear. Not just the beautiful births. Not just the outcomes that validate what we already believe. All of them.
Because informed consent means listening. Individualized care means listening. Supporting women means listening.
And maybe if we did a little more of that, we'd need a whole lot less fixing afterward.
References:
FriYAY! 
Instagram.com/birthinginstincts

Allowed to Birth Ashland Screening
https://www.birthinginstinctspodcast.com/event-details-registration/allowed-to-birth-movie-screening

Jehovah’s Witnesses allow blood-derived products but keep ban on whole-blood transfusions
https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/19/jehovahs-witnesses-blood-derived-products-transfusions/

Birthing Instincts Podcast #314 Low Platelets & Deficiencies of Wisdom
https://open.spotify.com/episode/1bMKgk1ZKtcI0QDQWCZtpT?si=3fb0f5eaad2445fb

Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and Risk of Adverse Maternal Pregnancy Outcomes
https://www.ovid.com/jnls/greenjournal/fulltext/10.1097/aog.0000000000006363~glucagon-like-peptide-1-receptor-agonists-and-risk-of

The Retrievals Season 2
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3gzGsdfFnFUeREYclQlYv8?si=sCc_o2mYSoOGl434Tz1uqA

Neonatal and obstetric outcomes following periconceptional exposure to glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists: a systematic review and meta-analysis
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000293782600222X

Discussed in This Episode
When Cutting the Cord Becomes the Emergency
Maternity Care Is Disappearing
The Shopping Center Breech Baby
Experiencing Loss and Questioning Everything
The Midwife Who Did Exactly What She Was Supposed to Do
One Ultrasound Finding, One Very Familiar Cascade
You Don't Have to Be a “Perfect Goddess” to Deserve Individualized Care
GLP-1s and Pregnancy: What Does the Evidence Actually Say?
A Mother Feels Her Cesarean After Epidural Fails

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
Tallow Twins | Go to https://tallowtwins.ca/INSTINCTS and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your order
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
Subscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

There are some experiences in life that we simply cannot prepare our hearts for.
Pregnancy loss is one of them.
This week, we sit down with Kenzie Covarrubias, co-founder of Held in Hope, for a tender conversation about miscarriage, grief, and what it truly means to care for a woman through loss. Because a miscarriage is so much more than a medical event. There was a mother who was full of hopes and dreams, and a baby who was already deeply loved.
How do we give women the information they need while still honoring the sacredness of what they're experiencing? And when someone we love is grieving, how do we resist the urge to fix it and simply be there?
There is no one right way to move through loss. But there are gentler ways to hold one another through it.
This is one of those conversations we wish no one ever needed, and one we believe every woman deserves to hear.
.About Kenzie Covarrubias
Kenzie Covarrubias is the co-founder of Held in Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and equipping women through miscarriage. After recognizing how often women are left unprepared to navigate pregnancy loss,, Kenzie and co-founder Amber Hassett created the Held in Hope Miscarriage Kit, providing clear information, practical supplies, and compassionate support during first-trimester loss. Today, Held in Hope works with hospitals, midwives, medical providers, pregnancy centers, and families across the country to help ensure no woman has to face miscarriage feeling alone or unprepared.
Kenzie is also a wife and mom of five and is passionate about changing the way women are cared for through pregnancy loss.
Website: heldinhope.org
Instagram: @held.in.hope

References:
FriYAY! 
Instagram.com/birthinginstincts

Allowed to Birth Ashland Screening
https://rova.live/event/allowed-to-birth-film-screening-presented-by-woven-moon-2026-10-27-1800

Held In Hope - Miscarriage Boxes
heldinhope.org

Birthing Instincts Podcast #383: There Can Be Healing in Loss
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/383-there-can-be-healing-in-loss/id1552816683?i=1000673286068

Birthing Instincts Podcast #339 Early Pregnancy Loss
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/339-early-pregnancy-loss/id1552816683?i=1000638423958

Discussed in This Episode
Meet Kenzie & Held in Hope
What Are Women Actually Told After a Miscarriage?
The Option Women May Not Know They Have When Experiencing Loss
When You Can't Just Call Your Doctor 
Not Just a Medical Event
A Care Package That Holds Space in Miscarriage 
Preparing Women for What They May See or Experience
Support Without an Agenda or Judgment 
What Does Waiting for a Miscarriage Actually Look Like?
When Is Medical Intervention Necessary?
What Happens to Your Baby After a D&C?
What Do You Say to Someone Who Miscarried?
Dads Grieve Too

Podcast Produced by: Raquel Hernandez, Pride and Joy Doula Care 

This show is supported by
Tallow Twins | Go to tallowtwins.ca and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off your order
LMNT | Got to drinklmnt.com/birthinginstincts to get a free sample pack with any order
Christian Hypnobirthing | Go to christianhypnobirthing.com and use the code BIRTHINGINSTINCTS for 30% off the Faith-Filled Childbirth Course!.
Girls Who Know | Go to girlswhoknow.com and use code INSTINCTS for 15% off

Connect with Dr. Stu and Blyss
Join our Patreon! patreon.com/birthinginstinctspodcast
Instagram: @birthinginstincts/@wovenmoon_
Website: birthinginstincts.com/birthingblyss.com
Email: birthinginstinctspodcast@gmail.com
Podcast webpage: birthinginstinctspodcast.com
Subscribe to podcast newsletter: birthinginstinctsp.wixforms.com/f/7498520437421245447

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands