Naked Beauty Podcast: Elaine Welteroth on Her Powerful Home-Birth Experience and Birth Fund

Host: Brooke DeVard
Guest: Elaine Welteroth
Release Date: October 21, 2024

Introduction

In this compelling episode of the Naked Beauty podcast, host Brooke DeVard engages in an in-depth conversation with acclaimed journalist, TV host, and author Elaine Welteroth. The discussion centers around Elaine's transformative home-birth experience and her impactful initiative, Birth Fund, aimed at revolutionizing maternal healthcare in the United States.

Elaine Welteroth: A Trailblazer in Media and Beyond

Elaine Welteroth, renowned for her tenure as the youngest editor-in-chief in Conde Nast history at age 29, has consistently broken barriers in the media industry. Her contributions at Teen Vogue and her bestselling book, More Than Enough, highlight her commitment to empowering women and advocating for change. Elaine's recent venture, Birth Fund, underscores her dedication to addressing the maternal health crisis in America.

Notable Quote:

"Your life is a series of dreams realized and has gracefully pivoted from one chapter to the next, realizing that if you're not learning, you can't grow." – Elaine Welteroth [00:06]

Birth Fund: Mission and Impact

Birth Fund is a pioneering movement launched by Elaine earlier this year, dedicated to expanding access to midwifery care nationwide. Collaborating with influential figures like Serena Williams, Kelly Rowland, and Karlie Kloss, Birth Fund has successfully raised over $1.5 million to support families seeking midwifery services. These efforts are crucial in challenging and transforming the United States' approach to maternal healthcare.

Key Statistics Highlighted:

• 80% of maternal and infant deaths could be averted with midwifery care.
• Only 12% of U.S. births were attended by a midwife in 2021, primarily due to lack of insurance coverage.

Notable Quote:

"Birth Fund is about funding midwifery care for families who can't afford it. It's not covered by insurance in this country." – Elaine Welteroth [06:49]

The Maternal Health Crisis in America

The conversation delves deep into the alarming maternal mortality rates, especially among Black women. Elaine sheds light on systemic racism, bias in medical care, and the lack of accessible midwifery services as primary contributors to this crisis. These issues are exacerbated by the U.S. having the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations.

Notable Quote:

"The maternal mortality rate for black women between the ages of 30 and 34 is over four times higher than the rate for white women." – Elaine Welteroth [07:30]

Midwifery Care vs. Traditional Hospital Birth

Elaine passionately advocates for midwifery care, emphasizing its holistic and preventative approach compared to the often rushed and impersonal hospital births. She explains how midwives provide comprehensive prenatal, labor, delivery, and postpartum care, focusing on the overall well-being of the mother and child.

Notable Quote:

"Midwives are clinically trained health professionals and birth experts who offer prenatal care, labor and delivery services, and postpartum care." – Elaine Welteroth [07:50]

Elaine's Personal Home-Birth Experience

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Elaine's personal journey of choosing a home birth. She shares the challenges she faced within the traditional medical system, including dismissive attitudes from doctors and the lack of autonomy during labor. Elaine describes how embracing midwifery care at home empowered her and transformed her childbirth experience into a sacred and peaceful event.

Notable Quote:

"Home birth, once I actually did it, was the best, most sacred, most empowering decision I've ever made for myself." – Elaine Welteroth [16:40]

Detailed Insights:

• Pain Management: Elaine discusses natural pain relief methods, such as utilizing a shower as a "liquid epidural," which helped her achieve a meditative state during labor.
• Empowerment: She highlights the psychological shift from feeling disempowered in hospital settings to reclaiming her strength and control during a home birth.
• Support System: Elaine credits her partner, Jonathan, and her midwife for their unwavering support throughout the home birth process.

Systemic Issues and the Need for Change

The dialogue also addresses the systemic flaws within the U.S. healthcare system, where profit often takes precedence over patient care. Elaine critiques the "factory approach" to childbirth care, where doctors are compelled to adhere to strict schedules, leaving little room for individualized care or patient autonomy.

Notable Quote:

"Their system is set up profit over patient care. They have to get you in and out. So if they can convince you to do it on a schedule that works for them and that keeps the numbers higher, they can service more people." – Elaine Welteroth [15:41]

The Importance of Education and Advocacy

Elaine emphasizes the critical need for educating women about their childbirth options and advocating for systemic change in maternal healthcare. She highlights how misinformation and lack of awareness contribute to the perpetuation of harmful medical practices.

Notable Quote:

"We're taught to give our power away to the authority in the white lab coat. Right. To not take up too much of their time, to not ask too many questions, to not seem difficult to go with what they say." – Elaine Welteroth [10:45]

Reproductive Rights and the Political Landscape

The episode concludes with a discussion on the upcoming elections and the importance of voting to protect reproductive rights. Elaine underscores that reproductive health is a pivotal issue that affects everyone, not just women, and urges listeners to participate actively in the electoral process to safeguard these rights.

Notable Quote:

"Our reproductive rights as women are very much on the ballot. This is actually not something that only pertains to women. This is something that everyone should care about." – Elaine Welteroth [15:05]

Brooke's Personal Reflections

Throughout the episode, Brooke shares her own experiences and sentiments as she prepares for motherhood. She resonates deeply with Elaine's journey, highlighting the universal fears and uncertainties that come with childbirth and the importance of supportive care systems.

Notable Quote:

"Taking care of my pregnant body. I saw my chiropractor this morning who specializes in working with pregnant people, which was great." – Brooke DeVard [22:00]

Conclusion and Call to Action

Brooke wraps up the episode by expressing her gratitude towards Elaine for sharing her story and emphasizes the significance of Birth Fund's mission. She encourages listeners to support the movement, educating themselves and others about the importance of accessible midwifery care.

Notable Quote:

"If you know that there's this option and it appeals to you and you want the opportunity to try to have a birth like that, insurance shouldn't be the reason you don't get to you." – Elaine Welteroth [16:38]

Listen to this episode to gain a deeper understanding of the maternal health crisis, explore empowering childbirth options, and discover how you can contribute to meaningful change through Birth Fund.