At Her Feet

In this closing chapter of her three-part interview, Raven Lang reflects on the evolution of midwifery and her own transformation along the way. She remembers the simplicity of her early birth bag—herbs, string, and attentive listening—and contrasts it with later years when acupuncture and Chinese medicine informed her practice. From dramatic resuscitations to the quiet power of community birth traditions, her stories illuminate the breadth of what it meant to serve as a midwife in changing times.Raven also speaks candidly about the pressures of money, licensure, and patriarchy, which fractured once-unified circles of midwives and reshaped the work into something more medicalized and fearful. In response, she emphasizes the necessity of boundaries, protecting one’s own energy, and reclaiming midwifery as a calling rooted in curiosity, courage, and reverence.This conversation weaves together memory, poetry, and hard-won wisdom. It is both sobering and hopeful—a reminder that midwives are not only attendants at birth but gatekeepers at life’s thresholds, holding space with resilience, integrity, and love.Mentioned in This EpisodeDr. Miriam Lee — pioneering acupuncturist and midwife who helped legalize acupuncture in CaliforniaDr. Susan Chen — OB/GYN and Chinese medicine teacherDr. Kreavy — physician reference during Raven’s practice yearsDr. Resnick — physician mentioned in Raven’s reflectionsMarshall Klaus — physician and author who influenced Raven’s thinking on medicine and powerNathan Riley, MD — contemporary OB who supports midwives, and Blyss’ friend and colleagueLinda Bennett — one of the Santa Cruz midwives and Raven’s colleague. Listen to her episode here.Kat and Kitty — early collaborators at the Santa Cruz birth centerGrandfather Semu & Grandmother Sisi — elders who presided at ceremonial community birthsGregory Bateson — anthropologist, referenced in Raven’s storiesDave Brubeck — jazz musician connected through family lineageRobin Lim — midwife and author of Placenta: The Forgotten Chakra. Find it here.Mayway Herbs Podcast — series where Raven later shared Chinese herbal teachings. Listen here.The Lama Foundation (Taos, NM) — gathering place for early midwives“The Voice of Labor” poem — an anonymous blessing gifted to Raven at a midwives’ gathering (full text below)Herbal WisdomShepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) — used traditionally to slow postpartum bleeding and tone the uterus.Dried Stinging Nettles (Urtica dioica) — mineral-rich, restorative, and supportive for lactation and recovery after blood loss.Trillium (“Beth Root,” Trillium erectum) — historically called “birthroot,” valued as a uterine tonic and hemostatic.Ginseng (Panax ginseng) — strengthens vitality and qi, sometimes included in hemorrhage protocols.Yunnan Baiyao (云南白药) — a renowned Chinese formula for stopping bleeding, carried in many birth bags.Pollen Type A (Typha angustifolia pollen, Pu Huang) — a Chinese remedy specifically for uterine bleeding, especially effective when charred.The Voice of LaborAn anonymous poem, gifted to Raven at a midwives’ gatheringLet my touch move through you as the time draws near.Gentle at first my call you will hear,Let go and come freely to bathe in me,Sink deeper and deeper into my belly.Feel my caresses become strong and fierce.Don’t turn away. Glide into the darkness.Let my waves rush and ease over you.Let my fury unfold as I make my way through.Though my dance becomes harsh, my love is your guide.Though my valley is fearsome, you will see through my eyes.I know the way well. You are never alone.Your path is well lit for this new journey home.So come into my womb and surrender your fear,For the great transformation is once again here.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this first of a three-part series, Blyss sits with Raven Lang — one of the most influential midwives in America and author of The Birth Book (1972). Often credited with sparking the home birth revival on the West Coast, Raven’s voice and vision helped lay the foundation for modern midwifery in the United States. Her groundbreaking Birth Book became a touchstone for countless families and midwives seeking alternatives to hospital birth, and her ideas on imprinting and the formation of motherly love changed how generations would understand the postpartum bond.This episode sets the stage for the next two parts of Raven’s remarkable story.Raven SharesShe shares about her upbringing in San Francisco’s North Beach,her struggles with childhood illness and Catholic schooling, andthe fierce independence that shaped her feminist awakening.Raven reflects on her first birth at Stanford in 1968 — an experience both empowering and unsettling — that propelled her into childbirth education, goat-keeping, and eventually attending births in Santa Cruz.Mentioned in this EpisodeThe Birth Book by Raven LangImmaculate Deception by Suzanne ArmsChildbirth Without Fear by Grantly Dick-ReadPainless Childbirth by Fernand LamazePeter Nash – California physician who briefly attended home birthsThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this intimate conversation, Blyss visits the home of Jan Tritten—midwife, visionary, and the founding editor of Midwifery Today magazine. Surrounded by her garden, animals, and family history, Jan reflects on a life devoted to birth, storytelling, and community.From her own births to attending dozens within a birth co-op, Jan found her calling not only in midwifery but in weaving together the voices of others. Through Midwifery Today and its global conferences, she became what she calls the “mother” of a movement—holding space for wisdom, tradition, and connection across generations.Jan Shares:How a traumatic hospital birth became the fuel for her lifetime of advocacy.The early days of home birth in Northern California, alongside pioneers like Raven Lang.Founding Midwifery Today after a Spirit-led vision, and sustaining it for 37 years.Stories of mentorship, partnership, and the creation of conferences that brought the magazine’s pages alive.Her faith journey and how spirituality continues to shape her vision of birth.Reflections on medicalization, free birth, and why mentorship and tradition matter most in educating midwives.Why her definition of midwifery is simply: “relationship first.”Through it all, Jan reminds us that midwifery is not just a profession, but a vocation of the heart—a sacred calling rooted in love, trust, and relationship.Mentioned in This Episode:Midwifery Today – Jan’s 37-year magazine and conference legacy.Raven Lang – Author of The Birth Book and pioneer in Santa Cruz home birth. Interview coming up in this series.The Birth Book (Raven Lang) – Seminal text of the home birth movement.Frontier Nursing Service – Historic nurse-midwifery program in Kentucky.Carol Gautschi – Midwife, co-coordinator of the Classical Midwifery Conference, and featured in an upcoming At Her Feet interview next season.Michel Odent – French obstetrician, pioneer of water birth and physiological childbirth.Ina May Gaskin – Founder of The Farm Midwifery Center; author of Spiritual Midwifery; creator of the Gaskin Maneuver. Interview coming next season.Dr. John Stevenson – Australian doctor, home birth advocate, and contributor to Midwifery Today.Cornelia Enning – German midwife known for her work teaching water birth.Gail Hart – Oregon midwife with decades of experience, previously interviewed on At Her Feet.Chris Howard – Midwife who became Jan’s partner after she left the birth co-op.Tom Duncan – Physician who attended home births aligned with midwifery practices.Angelina Martinez Miranda – Traditional Mexican midwife in Morelos, heir to three generations of midwifery, and international teacher of Mexican birth practices.Angelica root – Traditional herb used to help release a retained placenta. Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this intimate conversation, Blyss sits with Betty Griffith, LDM, a licensed midwife in Salem, Oregon, whose five decades of practice bridge the early days of the home birth revival with today’s changing landscape. From her beginnings as a labor-and-delivery nurse in the 1970s to years of practicing home birth prior to licensure, Betty shares the shifts she’s witnessed—both in women’s bodies and in the culture of birth.With candor and warmth, Betty reflects on the simplicity of care in earlier times, the complications that arise from fear-based models, and why she believes too much testing can create more problems than it solves. She also opens her medicine bag—offering practical wisdom on prenatal nutrition, balancing energy to encourage optimal fetal position, the “midwife brew,” herbs, prayer, and the subtle art of listening deeply to both women and babies.This conversation weaves history, philosophy, and practical midwifery into one tapestry—reminding us that birth is, above all, a sacred and natural process.Betty Shares:Betty’s journey from farm girl to nurse to beloved Oregon midwifeA stark look at obstetric practices in the 1960s and ’70s—and what changedHow simplicity in care led to excellent outcomes before licensureWhy fear and over-testing may contribute to complicationsStories of faith, prayer, and “God births” that defied medical oddsThe midwife’s role as family-centered, bringing children into the processBetty’s homemade prenatal vitamins and natural remediesTools for aligning babies in labor—including her unique pelvic-tilt techniqueReflections on licensure, Medicaid, and the struggle to serve families with integrityMentioned in This Episode:NARM (North American Registry of Midwives)Midwife Brew – a natural induction blend often including:Castor oilApricot nectar (sometimes Kern’s brand)Lemon verbena teaAlmond butterWaterMichel Odent — a French obstetrician who pioneered birthing pools, home-like maternity rooms, and the concept of the “fetus-ejection reflex.” He later founded the Primal Health Research Centre in London and authored numerous influential books on physiological birth. Learn more →Starwest Botanicals — a trusted source for high-quality organic herbs, teas, and botanicals since 1975. Visit Starwest Botanicals →Chlorophyll — for strengthening blood and preventing excessive bleedingTXA (Tranexamic Acid) — modern tool for postpartum hemorrhageCayenne & Cinnamon — traditional remedies for hemorrhageActivated Charcoal — used for supporting newborns with jaundiceUseful Links & ResourcesConnect with Betty Griffith, LDM: Birth With Love Midwife ServicesFollow us on Instagram @bridge_midwives to see Betty’s tip for helping babies find a good position.Learn more about the Bridge Midwives Project: thebridgemidwives.comJoin our monthly Community Circle: live conversations with elder midwives (first Thursday, 5pm PT).If this episode inspired you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or consider supporting the Bridge Midwives Project so we can continue archiving and honoring the wisdom of midwives like Betty Griffith, LDM.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this insightful and candid conversation, Blyss sits at the feet of Holly Scholles, a pioneering midwife, educator, and legislative advocate from Beaverton, Oregon. Raised in Texas and called to healing work from a young age, Holly shares her journey from pre-med student to grassroots birth worker, from founding the Association of Texas Midwives to shaping Oregon’s unique licensure model. With clarity, wit, and deep wisdom, she reflects on the evolution of midwifery, the power of community organizing, and the enduring importance of being truly with woman.Holly Shares:Growing up in a working-class family in Texas and early experiences of intuitive knowingHer calling to become a doctor at age three and the pivot to midwifery after a traumatic accident and hospital experienceApprenticing with Jehovah’s Witness midwives in Houston in the late 1970sHer early births, including the $250 fee, lack of prenatal care, and powerful postpartum reflectionsFounding the Association of Texas Midwives and navigating legislative battles in both Texas and OregonHer role in shaping Oregon’s voluntary licensure model and working to add legend drugs and devices to the midwifery formularyInsights on how to engage collaboratively (and strategically) with medical professionals and policymakers—starting with donuts The power and necessity of good charting—from memory to protection to professional communicationHer working definition of midwifery, thoughts on traditional wisdom, and the risks of romanticizing the pastHer ongoing consulting practice and support for midwives navigating complaints or investigationsMentioned in This Episode:Marla Hicks – Co-founder of the Association of Texas Midwives and longtime advocate for licensing pathways that protect midwives’ autonomy and access.Sherri Daniels – An early figure in Texas midwifery advocacy, connected to the movement’s formative years of organizing and legal reform.Lee Steward – Co-founder of NAPSAC (National Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth), a key figure in early home birth advocacy and the development of midwifery-informed research and policy.Betty Griffith – An elder Oregon midwife known for her teachings on energetic presence and the deeper layers of birth work.Barbara Katz Rothman – Sociologist and author whose writings on childbirth, reproductive justice, and medicalization deeply influenced the midwifery movement in the 1970s and beyond.Books & Texts:Marie M. Miles’ A Textbook of Midwifery – A classic British midwifery textbook used widely by early apprentices for its clinical depth and grounding in physiological birth.Williams Obstetrics, 14th Edition – A standard medical textbook offering a hospital-based, intervention-focused view of birth—often read alongside midwifery texts for contrast.Oxorn-Foote Human Labor and Birth – A clinical obstetrics textbook with detailed explanations of the mechanics of labor, referenced in both midwifery and medical circles.The Five Standards of Safe Childbearing – Published by NAPSAC, this foundational text laid out principles of informed consent, evidence-based care, and respect for the birthing person’s autonomy.Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer – A beloved collection of essays blending Indigenous knowledge, botany, and personal reflection. A meditation on reciprocity and relationality. Read more »The Serviceberry: An Economy of Abundance – Kimmerer’s visionary essay on kinship-based, gift-driven economies rooted in nature and mutual care. Read essay »Organizations, Trainings & Tools:Houston Midwife Education – A cooperative of faith-based midwives (many Jehovah’s Witnesses) in 1970s Texas, where Holly apprenticed during the early years of the home birth resurgence.Association of Texas Midwives (ATM) – Founded in 1980 to protect and formalize midwifery in Texas, ATM played a crucial role in advocacy, education, and certification efforts.NAPSAC (National Association of Parents and Professionals for Safe Alternatives in Childbirth) – A national advocacy group that promoted informed choice, challenged anti-home birth narratives, and published research rebuttals to mainstream obstetrics.BoRN (Biodynamic Resuscitation of Newborns) – A newborn resuscitation curriculum developed by Holly Scholles for out-of-hospital settings, rooted in physiologic understanding and practical, field-based skills.The Hive – An online education platform for midwives and birth workers. Holly teaches continuing education there, including the BoRN course. Explore »NARM (North American Registry of Midwives) – The national credentialing body for CPMs (Certified Professional Midwives), discussed in this episode regarding policy shifts and resuscitation requirementsHerbs & RemediesAnise for Morning Sickness – A traditional digestive aid and carminative used to relieve nausea in pregnancy; generally safe in small culinary amounts.Goldenseal – A powerful antimicrobial herb. Not recommended in pregnancy due to its uterine-stimulating properties and potential for toxicity.Foxglove (Digitalis) – A highly toxic plant once used medicinally for heart conditions. It is unsafe for home herbal use and can be fatal even in small doses.Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, elder midwife Gail Hart reflects on a lifetime of birth work shaped by lived experience, deep physiology, and a fierce commitment to women’s autonomy. From her early exposure to home birth in a religious commune, to a traumatic hospital delivery that changed everything, to helping shape Oregon’s midwifery culture, Gail shares the kind of perspective only decades of hands-on midwifery can offer. She reminds us that fear is not the foundation for wise care—and that true knowing comes from touch, time, and trust.Gail shares:Her peripatetic childhood in Hawai‘i and California, and her early political awakeningDiscovering midwifery in a communal religious group through apprenticeship and hands-on learningHer own traumatic hospital birth and how it galvanized her pathAttending the Northwest School of Practical Midwifery and launching into community practiceThe cooperative, peer-led model of early Oregon midwifery—and what was lost with formal licensureHow licensing systems shifted midwifery away from intuition and toward liability-driven careThe risks of book-heavy midwifery education that lacks embodied learningWhat she believes causes the rise in interventions, fear-based care, and “emergencies” that aren’tThe physiological wisdom of waiting—on shoulders, placentas, and newborn breathWhy she believes peaceful people often begin with peaceful birthsFurther Reading & Support:People & MidwivesCarla Hartley – Founder of Ancient Art Midwifery Institute; a vocal advocate for traditional midwifery outside licensure models.Margaret Miles – Author of A Textbook for Midwives, emphasizing non-interventionist, woman-centered care.Michel Odent – French obstetrician who pioneered water birth and promoted undisturbed, hormonally intact birth.Pat Edmonds – Midwife known for grounding her practice in normal physiology and calm presence.Dr. Max Miracle – Adventist doctor who supported natural childbirth after witnessing robust outcomes in rural South America.Frédérick Leboyer & Fernand Lamaze – Influential figures in natural birth reform; Lamaze popularized structured breathing, while Leboyer advocated for gentle, sensory-safe birth.The McMenamin Brothers – Oregon hoteliers who restored the Edgefield Hotel, where this interview was recorded.Northwest School of Practical Midwifery – A hands-on Oregon midwifery school co-led by naturopaths and chiropractors that operated in the late 1970s, eventually closing as licensure models took hold. It helped launch Portland’s first Birth Center and emphasized clinical experience rooted in physiology.Books & ResourcesA Textbook for Midwives by Margaret MilesA foundational manual blending common-sense midwifery with practical instruction grounded in normal physiology.(Out of print; available via libraries and resale platforms.)Birth Without Violence by Frédérick LeboyerA poetic call to treat birth as sacred—quiet, gentle, and baby-centered.Read on Internet Archive →The Scientification of Love by Michel OdentExplores the neurohormonal basis of love and birth, and the damage done by unnecessary interference.More info →Life Magazine on Twilight SleepReferenced as a cultural artifact promoting scopolamine use during birth, separating mothers from babies.Context article →Studies & Legal PrecedentsPlacental ResuscitationMercer, J.S. et al. Delayed cord clamping: Providing placental transfusion and more.PubMed →Bhatt, S. et al. Delaying cord clamping improves cardiovascular function and oxygenation in preterm lambs.PubMed →Oregon Attorney General Opinion (1970s)Affirmed that attending normal birth is not the practice of medicine when no drugs or surgery are involved.(Not publicly archived; cited in Oregon midwifery legal records.)Thank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this gentle and grounded episode, Blyss sits with Kelly Frohnauer, a retired traditional midwife from Merlin, Oregon. Kelly’s story is one of trust—in birth, in women, and in the quiet power of simplicity. She shares how her path unfolded outside the bounds of licensure, guided instead by elder midwives, spiritual conviction, and hands-on learning.Kelly shares:Practicing outside licensure in pre-regulation OregonHow a postpartum hemorrhage reshaped her herbal approachHer signature use of hot ginger towels for pain relief during laborWhy more women are turning to free birthThe midwife as “birth guardian,” grounded in presence and prayerHer transition from midwifery into natural skincare and artKelly’s presence is a reminder that birth can still be a sacred, sovereign experience—free from fear, rich with faith, and rooted in trust.To explore Kelly’s handcrafted skincare line, visit: naturalfamilybotanicals.comMentioned in this episode:Red Raspberry Leaf Tea – used during pregnancy to tone the uterus and support gentle laborShepherd’s Purse – a hemostatic herb Kelly no longer recommends postpartum due to clotting concernsAlfalfa – taken during pregnancy to build blood volume and prevent hemorrhageCinnamon – used in tincture form to stop postpartum bleedingCayenne Pepper – given to redirect blood flow during hemorrhage and buy time for other herbs to workAngelica & Dong Quai – used to encourage delivery of a retained placentaFurther Reading & Support:Special Delivery by Rahima Baldwin – the book and educator who certified Kelly in childbirth educationSurja Johnson – a Santa Cruz midwife who mentored Kelly in her early apprenticeshipPenny Simkin – beloved birth educator known for her pain-relief techniques, though Kelly’s hot towel method came through a different lineageThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this moving episode, midwife Shannon Staloch sits down with Yelena Kolodji—an elder midwife whose roots in California midwifery stretch back to the early 1970s. From her humble beginnings on a Minnesota dairy farm to catching over 1,600 babies, Yelena shares a vivid, powerful reflection on what it means to truly be with woman. This conversation touches on the soul of midwifery, the loss of trust in birth, the dangers of over-medicalization, and the quiet wisdom that arises from decades of hands-on experience. She reminds us that to hold space is an art form—and one we must fight to preserve.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Yelena’s origin story—from Minnesota farm life to catching her first glimpse of birth in 1971Sneaking into hospital births dressed as a nurse and witnessing a solo breech delivery by an internHer apprenticeship with June and becoming a CNM while continuing home birth practiceWhat was in her birth kit then (and now)—including herbs, homeopathics, and a simple trust in birthThe shift from intuitive, soul-based care to technology-dominated practiceWhy birth stories matter, even (and especially) when they’re painfulHow our culture’s disregard for elders mirrors our treatment of birthHer critique of modern midwifery education and the lack of home birth exposureReflections on the systemic rise of fear-based obstetrics and 40% C-section ratesThe emotional, psychological, and spiritual impact of birth on babies, mothers, and familiesWhy the preservation of oral storytelling and hands-on wisdom is essential for future midwivesThe decline of home birth training in CNM educationSpecial thanks to:Shannon Staloch for conducting this intimate conversation, and Yelena Kolodji for opening her home, her story, and her heart.Mentioned in This Episode:UCSF Midwifery ProgramYunnan Baiyao for postpartum bleedingAlfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a mineral-rich, deeply nourishing herb traditionally used by midwives to support pregnant and postpartum mothers. High in vitamins A, D, E, and K, as well as calcium, magnesium, and iron, alfalfa has long been valued for building and replenishing the blood, especially in the third trimester to help prepare for birth and prevent postpartum hemorrhage. Its high vitamin K content is particularly significant in promoting healthy blood clotting. Midwives also use alfalfa to support milk production and overall vitality in the postpartum period. Typically taken as a tea, tincture, or in capsule form, alfalfa is one of the gentle green allies that helps fortify the birthing body from the inside out.The legacy of Ashley Montagu and the concept of uterine envy in book, The Natural Superiority of WomenThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy.…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)Podcast Editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and Producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project

In this deeply personal first episode, host Blyss Young shares the story behind At Her Feet, The Bridge Midwives inaugural podcast. From the awe of witnessing her niece’s birth as a teenager to the running of a birth center whose midwifery students seemed increasingly clinical, to then becoming a midwife herself, Blyss traces the quiet call that led her to the wisdom of the elders. This is the origin of The Bridge Midwives Project—a devotion to remembering what was nearly lost, to honoring the wisdom that lives in hands and stories, and to reconnecting a lineage that predates textbooks and licensure. In This Episode:Meet your host, Blyss Young, a licensed midwife and founder of The Bridge Midwives Project.Learn the inspiration behind At Her Feet—a podcast devoted to archiving and reviving traditional midwifery wisdom.Hear how Blyss’ own path—from birthing mother to midwife to grief-stricken mother and wandering seeker—shaped this offering.Preview the voices to come: 15 elder midwives from Northern California and Oregon, each holding pieces of a wisdom tradition nearly erased.Explore words like “traditional” and "deliver" —and how listening with reverence can help us uncover the wisdom beneath the language. Acknowledge how colonization and professional gatekeeping contributed to the erasure of many Black, Indigenous, immigrant, and rural midwivesAn invitation to listen not with urgency, but with humility, presence, and care.Mentioned in This Episode:Community Circles (First Thursdays of each month)The Bridge Midwives Project: bridgemidwives.comThank you to all the elders, donations and volunteers that have made this project possible.Together, we can preserve the wisdom of elder midwives for generations to come. Give today and be part of this legacy…please visit bridgemidwives.com for more information on how to donate.Podcast editor: Shea LyonsArchivist and producer: Blyss YoungInstagram: @TheBridgeMidwivesJoin our Facebook community: The Bridge Midwives Project