No More Trauma: An Anesthesiologist's Perspective on Creating a Positive Birth Experience with Dr. Tracey Vogel Artwork

The Postpartum Revolution

Welcome to The Postpartum Revolution! This podcast was born because, as a pelvic health physical therapist, I’ve heard and seen the ways our system has failed postpartum people in America. Newly postpartum people have repeated the same questions to me, with fear in their eyes and fatigue written all over their bodies, and I’ve grown tired of soothing them with the reassurance that it’s “all a part of the process, it’s normal to feel like this”. I began to wonder - what the hell kind of “normal process” is this, that produces tired and scared mothers? While not everyone has a negative experience with childbirth and postpartum, many people do. A lot of factors influence our postpartum experience: understanding how your body recovers, how much community and financial support you have, and how well our society helps to support a new family. My goal is to provide education about the postpartum recovery process, so you can set yourself up for a successful return to the things that bring you joy. I also want to bring awareness to the larger, systemic challenges that pregnant and postpartum people face, so that collectively we can start to turn the tide of our culture, and our children won't be trapped in an unhealthy and unsupported birth and postpartum culture. We have lost our power in the birth and postpartum world, and our loss is directly linked to other people's gain. It's time to take back the power over our bodies, our births, and our postpartum health. We are the change we have been waiting for. Let's go.

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The Postpartum Revolution

No More Trauma: An Anesthesiologist's Perspective on Creating a Positive Birth Experience with Dr. Tracey Vogel

October 30, 2020 • Season 1 • Episode 24

It's time the standards change for all birthing experiences.

There's a whole lot of trauma in a person’s life that never gets the attention it deserves and is too easily brushed under the rug. How did we let this become the new norm?

When it comes to birth, let's ask ourselves; is basic survival enough?

NO!

The patient's needs are not being heard. The providers don't have the time to really listen, nor are they taught how to empathize in medical school.

The side effects of birth trauma are more significant issues than we make them out to be. Something CAN be done if we stop being quiet and nice and start to give give real, honest feedback.

No more: "Everything is fine." - "I'm okay." - "The baby is healthy, and that's all that matters."

Instead, we need to empower women to talk about their feelings and advocate for themselves.

That's why I was so happy to invite Dr. Tracey Vogel, a practicing OB anesthesiologist and a certified Sexual Assault Counselor, on to talk about what can be changed in the labor and delivery units so that birthing people feel seen, heard, and supported.

Tracey truly is the definition of the Postpartum Revolution.

Dr. Vogel is fighting to bring attention to this trauma, and she is a strong advocate for consistent feedback to the medical system. Dr. Vogel gives women a voice to make a change.

Tracey learned many of her skills for trauma informed care while becoming a rape counselor. She's combined her experience and knowledge as an anesthesiologist with obstetrics and has some unique ideas for the healthcare world.

In today's episode, we talk about the importance of informed consent and how the patient's needs should be discussed ahead of time. What-if scenarios should be a real discussion with actual back-up plans.

"Part of fear is lack of understanding and lack of knowledge."

There is no black and white answer to the issues. It takes some creativity to navigate the gray areas and find the right solution for both parties.

Tracy has created a center that is giving women the power to have their voices heard. She's creating structured plans, investigating fears, and bettering communication across the board!

Everyone deserves a positive birth experience.

Want to work with Tracy?

Check out her website http://www.theempowermentequation.com/

You can also share your story, read about other birth experiences, or write a grievance on her website.

Twitter @TraceyVogelMD

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Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Want to be a guest on the show? Email me at thepostpartumrevolutionpodcast@gmail.com

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