Underground Midwives & Maternity Deserts: Lainey's Story

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the vision you have for your birth completely shatters?  In this episode of *Quiet Connection*, host Chelsea Myers sits down with Lainey Stancil—a mom, birth doula, and the founder of the Peach State Birth Coalition. Lainey shares her deeply personal journey of navigating a frustrating PCOS diagnosis , fighting a dismissive healthcare system , and making the radical choice to switch to an unmedicated home birth at 28 weeks pregnant. But Lainey's story didn't end with her fast, beautiful water birth. After discovering the shocking legal restrictions placed on traditional midwives in Georgia, she stepped into her power to change the landscape for birthing individuals across her state.  This conversation is an eye-opening look at maternal healthcare deserts , the power of community education , and why every perinatal individual deserves to choose exactly how and where they bring life into the world. **Key Takeaways** - **Trusting Your Instincts:** Lainey highlights the exhaustion of fighting with medical providers who dismiss early signs of hormonal issues like PCOS simply based on age. - **The Power of True Connection:** The stark contrast between a clinical, highly managed OB appointment and the warm, relationship-first care of a midwife. - **Georgia’s Quiet Crisis:** The surprising legal reality that makes it illegal for traditional midwives to practice or attend home births in Georgia, creating an "underground" network. - **Maternity Care Deserts:** How the closure of birth centers and lack of regional providers forces rural birthing individuals to travel hours just to receive safe care. - **Democratizing Education:** Why providing free, doula-led birth education is essential for lower-income families who can't afford expensive online programs. This episode discusses topics that may be triggering for some individuals. Please check the show notes for more information and be mindful of your own mental health and comfort levels. Visit our Patreon to help support our mission to normalize the conversation and end the stigma surrounding PMADs! Support the show  *Special Thanks to* Steve Audy *for the use of our theme song: Quiet Connection* Want to be a guest on Quiet Connection - Postpartum Mental Health? Send Chelsea a message on PodMatch