The Birth Lounge Podcast

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with filmmaker and activist Brendon Marotta to explore the history, ethics, and modern practice of circumcision.

Brendon shares how circumcision became medicalized over time, shifting from early cultural and religious roots to routine use in modern hospital systems. The conversation looks at how messaging has evolved, including past beliefs about infant pain, what current research suggests, and how conversations around consent and bodily autonomy have changed over the years.

HeHe and Brendon also discuss the function of the foreskin, common claims around hygiene and health, and why circumcision rates in the U.S. have been declining. They touch on cultural influences, generational beliefs, and how parents today are navigating this decision with more access to information than ever before.

Throughout the episode, the focus stays on informed decision-making, understanding the full picture, and creating space for thoughtful, pressure-free conversations around a topic that is often considered routine but rarely questioned.

Chapters:

00:00 Cold Open + Why This Topic Matters
02:50 HeHe’s Perspective + Research Lens
09:20 Circumcision Conversation Begins
16:25 Meet Brendon Marotta
22:58 History, Power, and Culture
32:06 Infant Pain and What We Know
44:19 Trauma and Long-Term Considerations
57:06 Health Claims and Controversies
01:04:30 Industry and System Incentives
01:10:16 Function and Anatomy
01:17:24 Parenting, Autonomy, and Decision-Making
01:28:03 Cultural Shifts and Changing Rates
01:42:22 Documentary + Final Thoughts

See American Circumcision here: https://circumcisionmovie.com/

Guest Bio:

Brendon Marotta is a filmmaker, author, and speaker. His last film, American Circumcision, won multiple awards and played on Netflix. He is the author of four books, The Intactivist Guidebook,  The Haunting of Bob Cratchit, Children’s Justice, and The Gods of AI. He has spoken at Yale University, the International Conference on Men’s Issues, the International Symposium on Genital Autonomy and Children’s Rights, and the Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology. Brendon hosts a regular podcast called The Brendon Marotta Show. He is creating music and art with AI under the name Strange Aura. He currently lives with his family in Austin, TX.

 

Follow Brendon on social media here: http://www.brendonmarotta.com/subscribe/

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ 

BIRTH EDUCATION:
Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…
Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone?
Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

Today’s episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, makers of luxuriously soft bamboo sheets, blankets, and sleep essentials. Because your rest matters, mamas. Cozy Earth makes it easier to get the cozy, breathable sleep your body (and your little one) deserve. Use code HEHE at https://cozyearth.com/ for 20% off your order and treat yourself to the sleep you’ve been dreaming of.

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with OB-GYN Dr. Kirti Patel, host of The Gynarchy Podcast, to unpack how patriarchy has shaped women’s health, maternity care, and the way society talks about our bodies. With more than 25 years in obstetrics, Dr. Patel brings both experience and perspective to a conversation that challenges a lot of the norms we’ve been taught to accept.

They talk about what “gynae” really means, why Dr. Patel intentionally centers women’s voices, and how sexism has historically influenced medical training, leadership, and the care women receive. HeHe and Dr. Patel also explore the displacement of midwives, the slow shift toward more women in OB-GYN leadership, and the reality that women’s bodies are often treated like public property when it comes to birth control, abortion, and fertility.

The conversation dives into medical paternalism in labor and delivery, why informed consent is still a major issue in maternity care, and the very real physical, emotional, and career sacrifices that often come with pregnancy and motherhood. They also talk about the need for better support systems, the importance of community and “the village,” and why men sharing the mental load at home is part of the cultural shift families need.

 

Guest Bio:

Dr. Kirti Patel is a board-certified OB-GYN with over 25 years of experience and the host of The Gynarchy Podcast. Known for her bold, feminist perspective and evidence-based approach, she’s passionate about challenging outdated narratives in women’s health and calling out misinformation. Through her work, Dr. Patel blends science, advocacy, and real talk to help women better understand their bodies and feel more confident navigating their care.

www.thegynarchypodcast.com

The Gynarchy is a podcast at the intersection of women's health and feminism, hosted by ob/gyn Dr. Kirti Patel.

@thegynarchy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thegynarchy

TikTok, and Bluesky, Find The Gynarchy on most podcast platforms and YouTube

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ 

BIRTH EDUCATION:
Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…
Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone?
Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with Bronx-based doula and Bridge Directory founder Emilie Rodriguez for a real conversation about the uncomfortable truths inside U.S. maternity care. They talk about why the system is failing families and why avoiding hard conversations only keeps things the same.

HeHe and Emilie unpack the debate around doula certification, why some doulas intentionally remain uncertified, and how certification can sometimes become a tool for control within hospital systems. Emilie shares how Bridge Directory is working to create a more accessible pathway that allows doulas to work within institutions and bill Medicaid while still honoring traditional training, ancestral knowledge, and doula autonomy.

They also dive into the difference between true informed consent and the watered-down version often called “shared decision making,” the role racism plays in obstetrics, and why it’s unrealistic to expect doulas to fix systemic problems they didn’t create. This episode explores accountability, transparency in maternity outcomes, and why community, mentorship, and ongoing self-reflection are essential in doula work.

Guest Bio:

Emilie Rodriguez is a Black traditional birth and postpartum doula and medical anthropologist. She founded Ashe Birthing Services, a team of BIPOC doulas serving over 400 families a year in NYC, and co-founded The Bridge Directory, a platform of perinatal providers and professionals of color creating a new standard of maternal health. They are on a mission to heal the disparities in healthcare from within by training institutions and providers, redefining expectations in care, and closing the access gap. As an active Bronxite and reproductive justice advocate, Emilie is deeply passionate about her community and perinatal health. She is also a leading expert in policy-level change, particularly in advocating for doula pay-equity and the development of accessible doula qualifications and standardization, as doulas begin to accept insurance in New York City and New York State.

 

Connect with Emilie: 

https://www.ashebirthingservices.com/

https://www.thebridgedirectory.com/

 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilie-rodriguez11/




SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ 

BIRTH EDUCATION:
Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…
Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone?
Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

LINKS MENTIONED:
https://www.thebridgedirectory.com/

This episode is brought to you by Cozy Earth, makers of luxuriously soft bamboo sheets, blankets, and sleep essentials. Because your rest matters, mamas. Cozy Earth makes it easier to get the cozy, breathable sleep your body (and your little one) deserve. Use code HEHE at https://cozyearth.com/ for 20% off your order and treat yourself to the sleep you’ve been dreaming of.

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe continues the surrogacy series with Tiffany Jo Baker, a three-time surrogate who carried five babies, including two sets of twins. Tiffany shares how her faith first led her to surrogacy and walks through what the process actually looked like behind the scenes, from agency screening and psychological evaluations to matching with intended parents.

They talk honestly about IVF hormone protocols, embryo transfers that didn’t stick, experiencing pregnancy loss, and how consent and autonomy are navigated when it’s the surrogate’s body but not her baby. Tiffany also shares what conversations around selective reduction looked like, how relationships with intended parents evolved after birth, and why her surrogacy journeys ultimately ended in C-sections after previously having unmedicated vaginal births.

HeHe and Tiffany also unpack the practical side of surrogacy, including contracts, escrow, insurance, compensation, birth certificate logistics, and some of the biggest myths and misunderstandings surrounding the fertility industry.

 

Guest Bio:

Tiffany Jo Baker is a caffeinated mom of two young adult daughters, surrogate mom who has delivered five babies for three families dealing with infertility, proud dog-mom, and wife to an extreme outdoorsman. She is the podcast host of The Tiffany Jo Baker Podcast, author of the devotional Soul-Care for Go-Getters, speaker, and Holy Spirit-led strategist who uplifts the soul and success of women walking out their "why" at home, online and in the real world so they can get free, live full and birth their God-given dreams.

https://www.TiffanyJoBaker.com

https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/tiffany-jo-baker-podcast

https://www.tiffanyjobaker.com/services 

SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ 

BIRTH EDUCATION:
Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…
Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone?
Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

In this episode of The Birth Lounge Podcast, HeHe sits down with Kallie Fell, executive director of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, for a thought-provoking conversation about the ethics of surrogacy.

Kallie shares why she believes modern surrogacy raises serious concerns about exploitation, commodification, and what she calls “fragmented motherhood,” where the roles of biological, gestational, and social mother are separated. Together, they explore questions about surrogate health risks, potential long-term impacts for children conceived through IVF, and the complicated legal landscape surrounding contracts, autonomy, and representation.

Throughout the conversation, HeHe reflects on how her own perspective shifted after becoming pregnant and emphasizes the importance of having open, respectful conversations about topics that are often considered taboo.

Guest Bio:

From the beginning, Kallie has been passionate about women’s health. After graduating with a Masters of Science degree in Animal Sciences with an emphasis on Reproductive Physiology and Molecular Biology and working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center,  Kallie continued her education in nursing and has been a perinatal nurse for nearly a decade. Kallie has worked with the CBC since 2018, first as a volunteer writer, then as our staff Research Associate, and now as the Executive Director. In 2021, Kallie co-directed the CBC’s first documentary on “transgender medicine” titled Trans Mission: What’s the Rush to Reassign Gender? In 2022 Kallie co-wrote and co-produced The Detransition Diaries: Saving Our Sisters. Kallie hosted the popular podcast Venus Rising and is currently the Program Director for the Paul Ramsey Institute. Her latest film, The Lost Boys: Searching for Manhood and new book, co-authored with Jennifer Lahl, The Detransition Diaries (published by Ignatius Press) were both released in early 2024. 

 

About The Center for Bioethics and Culture: 

The Center for Bioethics and Culture Network (CBC) is an educational nonprofit addressing bioethical issues that most profoundly affect our humanity, especially issues that arise in the lives of the most vulnerable among us. We work through a variety of media platforms—documentary film, writing, speaking, interviews, social media, and more—to educate and inform members of the general public, thought leaders, lawmakers, and others on ethical issues in healthcare, biomedical research, and biotechnological advancement. We exist to educate and inform members of the general public, thought leaders, lawmakers, and others on ethical issues in healthcare, biomedical research, and biotechnological advancement by intentionally bring together diverse voices from across the spectrum of human experience to build common cause in addressing the crucial questions that accompany these fields.

 

Connect with CBC:

https://cbc-network.org 

X: @kal_fell and @CBCnetwork

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cbc-networkOrg 




SOCIAL MEDIA:
Connect with HeHe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquilitybyhehe/ 

BIRTH EDUCATION:
Learn how to stay in control of your birth and reduce the risk of unnecessary interventions in our Avoid a C-Section Webinar. HeHe breaks down the cascade of interventions, explains what’s really happening in the hospital, and shares practical strategies to protect your birth plan, advocate for yourself, and navigate labor with confidence. Perfect for anyone who wants a positive, informed hospital birth experience: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/csection

Feeling nervous about speaking up in labor? Our Scripts for Advocacy give you the exact words to handle the most common conversations that can make or break your birth experience. From declining unnecessary interventions to asking the right questions about procedures, these scripts empower you to stay in control, speak confidently, and protect your birth plan — even when the pressure is on. Think of it as your personal toolkit for advocating like a pro, so you can focus on your baby, not the stress: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/Scripts-for-Advocacy

And if you haven’t grabbed it yet…
Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/pitocin

Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education from HeHe that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/

Want prep delivered straight to your phone?
Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere: https://www.thebirthlounge.com/app-download-page

LINKS MENTIONED:
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