Well, Now

How Doulas Make Childbirth Safer for Everyone

For centuries, doulas have guided us through major life transitions, from childbirth to death and everything in between (even first menstruation!).

Episode Notes

Everyone has a different birth experience.

Obstetricians and midwives are well-known members of the birth team. Along with the pregnant person, they are central to labor and delivery.

Doulas are lesser known, but they can provide essential support for pregnant women and their loved ones.

On this week’s episode of Well, Now: What to expect when working with a doula with Latham Thomas, founder of Mama Glow.

If you liked this episode, check out: Overcoming a Complicated Pregnancy

Well, Now is hosted by Maya Feller, CDN and Kavita Patel, MD.

Podcast production by Vic Whitley-Berry with editorial oversight by Alicia Montgomery.

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to wellnow@slate.com.

About the Show

We all want to achieve wellness, but how many of us have a clear understanding of what it is or how to measure it? Some believe it’s meeting a certain set of metrics around health. Others see it as becoming a more effective self-advocate when navigating our health challenges, or creating a balance in work, fitness, and family that promotes a sense of well-being. However we define wellness, we can all use advice from thoughtful people about how to find it for ourselves.

That’s the mission of Slate’s new podcast Well, Now. Each week our hosts, Maya Feller and Kavita Patel, will tackle a new issue around wellness, from the latest exercise craze, to the controversy over BMI, to the best ways to promote sleep hygiene. Every episode aims to give listeners a new understanding of wellness, and how to reach it.

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Hosts

  • Maya Feller is a registered dietitian and contributor to ABC’s Good Morning America, and an advisory board member for SHAPE and Parents. Her expertise can be found in the New York Times, Well+Good, and more. She is also the author of Eating From Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites From Cultures Around the World and based in New York City.

  • Dr. Kavita Patel is a D.C.-based primary care physician who has a rich background in health and health policy, having served the Obama administration and as a policy analyst to Sen. Edward Kennedy. She’s also a medical contributor for NBC News/MSNBC and a columnist for MSNBC.