ToRAISE Questions Doula Podcast

The ToRAISE Questions podcast offers thoughtful, unfiltered conversations for doulas and birth workers who want to deepen their knowledge, elevate their practice, and uphold the integrity of birth work. Each episode features insights from experienced professionals in the field, helping you grow with intention and purpose. Questions, feedback, show ideas, want to be a guest?! We want to hear from you! → Email: melanie@tolabor.com → Instagram: instagram.com/tolabor → Facebook: facebook.com/toLabordoulas Interested in becoming a Doula? Visit our website for more: tolabor.com

ToRAISE Questions Doula Podcast is a health podcast hosted by Melanie Russell, with 108 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Melanie Russell hosts ToRAISE Questions Doula Podcast, a health show with 108 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #129

  Interview with Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins, OBGYN and Podcast Host of Birth With Power... Episode 129

  Jun 17, 202650 min

  In this episode, Melanie sits down with Richmond-based OB/GYN and host of the Birth With Power podcast, Dr. Nicole Calloway Rankins. Having known each other for the past 14 years, they dive into Nicole's personal journey into medicine, what inspired her to become an OB/GYN, and the experiences that continue to shape her approach to caring for her patients today. As a physician of color practicing in a field where representation matters, Nicole also reflects on the perspectives and values she brings to her work 🌎 Together, they get right into all things birth 🌿, discussing advocacy, patient-centered care, and the impact doulas can have in the birth spaces Nicole works in. Nicole shares her thoughts on collaboration between providers and doulas and why supporting families through informed, respectful care is so important. Part birth conversation, part catching up with an old friend, this episode offers an honest look at collaboration, representation in healthcare, and improving the birth experience for everyone involved ✨ Have a listen! 💛 Check out Nicole's podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76Y7PBv1EpY16ta5g0HA-5ZITq-aoI0z 🎧 The ToRAISE Questions Doula podcast offers thoughtful, unfiltered conversations for doulas and birth workers who want to deepen their knowledge, elevate their practice, and uphold the integrity of birth work. Each episode features insights from experienced professionals in the field, helping you grow with intention and purpose. Questions, feedback, show ideas, want to be a guest? We want to hear from you! → Email: melanie@tolabor.com → Instagram: instagram.com/tolabor → Facebook: facebook.com/toLabordoulas Interested in becoming a Doula? Visit our website for more: https://tolabor.com/

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  Episode #128

  Would you like to bring an A Brighter Birth Collective to your city?!... Episode 128

  Apr 14, 202647 minS0

  <p>🫶 <b>Episode 128 features a conversation with Melanie Russell and Natalie Karasiewicz, sharing the story and vision behind the A Brighter Birth Collective.</b></p><p>Melanie founded the collective 18 years ago in Richmond, VA, creating a space rooted in support, education, and community for growing families. Now, with Natalie recently opening the Charleston, SC location, A Brighter Birth Collective continues to expand its reach while staying deeply grounded in its mission 👐</p><p>ABB is more than a birth collective- it’s a wellness and lifestyle community made up of women-owned businesses and practitioners supporting families from fertility through postpart...

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• 

  Episode #128

  Would you like to bring an A Brighter Birth Collective to your city?!... Episode 128

  Apr 14, 202647 min

  🫶 Episode 128 features a conversation with Melanie Russell and Natalie Karasiewicz, sharing the story and vision behind the A Brighter Birth Collective. Melanie founded the collective 18 years ago in Richmond, VA, creating a space rooted in support, education, and community for growing families. Now, with Natalie recently opening the Charleston, SC location, A Brighter Birth Collective continues to expand its reach while staying deeply grounded in its mission 👐 ABB is more than a birth collective- it’s a wellness and lifestyle community made up of women-owned businesses and practitioners supporting families from fertility through postpartum and beyond 🌈 ABB has built a model of care that is collaborative, intentional, and centered on meeting families where they are. In this episode, Melanie and Natalie talk about the evolution of ABB, what it means to build a collective in the birth space, and how community-centered care can truly change the experience of pregnancy, postpartum and life. They also share what’s next- including their vision to grow A Brighter Birth Collective across the country. If you’re a birth worker, wellness provider, or someone feeling called to create something meaningful in your own community, they are actively looking to connect with people interested in bringing an ABB Collective to their city 🌿 Check it out: www.abrighterbirth.com Tune in to hear the story, the growth, and the invitation to be part of something bigger ✨ The Educated Birth toolkit binder is a trusted resource for doulas, birth workers, and educators. Created by Cheyenne Varner, it includes 155+ pages of inclusive, illustrated education covering pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum — designed to help clients feel informed and supported. Get 10% off with code " TOLABOR" at EducatedBirth.store – Care deeply. Teach clearly. The ToRAISE Questions Doula podcast offers thoughtful, unfiltered conversations for doulas and birth workers who want to deepen their knowledge, elevate their practice, and uphold the integrity of birth work. Each episode features insights from experienced professionals in the field, helping you grow with intention and purpose. Questions, feedback, show ideas, want to be a guest? We want to hear from you! → Email: melanie@tolabor.com → Instagram: instagram.com/tolabor → Facebook: facebook.com/toLabordoulas Interested in becoming a Doula? Visit our website for more: https://tolabor.com/

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #127

  Inside the System: A Doula’s Guide to Collaboration - Episode 127

  Mar 4, 20261h 11mS0

  <p><b>In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Cole for a powerful conversation about one of the five essential components of our doula training: Collaboration</b> 🤝</p><p>What does it really mean to collaborate as a doula within a maternity care system that’s often built on hierarchy? How do we support and advocate for our clients while maintaining respectful, professional relationships with providers and nurses?</p><p>Sarah and I dive into the nuance of being a bridge in the birth space — not adversarial, not passive, but grounded and clear. We talk about advocacy without opposition, navigatin...

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #127

  Inside the System: A Doula’s Guide to Collaboration - Episode 127

  Mar 4, 20261h 11m

  In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Cole for a powerful conversation about one of the five essential components of our doula training: Collaboration 🤝 What does it really mean to collaborate as a doula within a maternity care system that’s often built on hierarchy? How do we support and advocate for our clients while maintaining respectful, professional relationships with providers and nurses? Sarah and I dive into the nuance of being a bridge in the birth space — not adversarial, not passive, but grounded and clear. We talk about advocacy without opposition, navigating power dynamics in high-pressure moments, and using language that invites respect rather than resistance. 🗣️✨ Together, we unpack the nuanced role of the doula as a bridge-builder. Sarah shares her perspective on how collaboration is not about compliance, and it’s not about opposition either. Instead, it’s about cultivating respectful relationships with nurses, midwives, and OBs while remaining deeply rooted in our primary responsibility: supporting our client’s autonomy, informed decision-making using B.R.A.I.N, and emotional safety. We explore: The difference between advocacy and adversarial energy How to support clients in high-pressure or fast-moving clinical moments Language tools that foster respect rather than defensiveness Navigating power dynamics without escalating tension The importance of understanding hospital culture and provider workflow How to prepare clients prenatally for collaborative communication What it looks like to “stay in your lane” while still holding strong boundaries We also explore the internal work required of doulas: managing our own triggers, staying in our lane while holding strong boundaries, and remembering that our primary role is to protect our client’s autonomy and emotional safety. 💛 If you’ve ever wondered how to honor physiological birth and evidence-based care while working inside a medical model, this episode is for you. Collaboration isn’t about hierarchy — it’s about humanity. 🤝 The Educated Birth toolkit binder is a trusted resource for doulas, birth workers, and educators. Created by Cheyenne Varner, it includes 155+ pages of inclusive, illustrated education covering pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum — designed to help clients feel informed and supported. Get 10% off with code " TOLABOR" at EducatedBirth.store – Care deeply. Teach clearly. The ToRAISE Questions Doula podcast offers thoughtful, unfiltered conversations for doulas and birth workers who want to deepen their knowledge, elevate their practice, and uphold the integrity of birth work. Each episode features insights from experienced professionals in the field, helping you grow with intention and purpose. Questions, feedback, show ideas, want to be a guest? We want to hear from you! → Email: melanie@tolabor.com → Instagram: instagram.com/tolabor → Facebook: facebook.com/toLabordoulas Interested in becoming a Doula? Visit our website for more: https://tolabor.com/

  ListenShow Notes

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