This #possibilistmidwives episode explores a free-standing birth center, Maison de Naissance, founded in Haiti 22 years ago by Dr. Betsy Wickstrom, MFM, Dr. Stan Schaffer, Neonatologist, and Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, who served as its first medical director. From its inception, the center was guided by Dr. Paul Farmer’s belief that healthcare is a fundamental human right and should be community-driven, with a focus on serving the poorest of the poor. The conversation then shifts to the importance of collaborative care between midwives and physicians in the U.S. In order to expand the workforce to the highest skill level, increase access, and provide needed patient-centered care, improving mutual respect for each profession’s scope of practice must be realized. Dr. Wickstrom, Denise and Ginger lay the foundation of what is possible.

Midwife Isata Dumbuya Sierre Leone/ TIME magazine awarded Women of the Year https://time.com/collections/women-of-the-year/7377892/isata-dumbuya/

Donate to Maison de Naissance thru https://globalbirthinghomefoundation.org/

Documentary featuring Dr. Paul Farmer and Partners in Health, ‘Bending the Arc’ https://www.pih.org/bending-the-arc

Good Birth Network affirming safe and respectful care in global settings https://goodbirth.net/

Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNM

Email The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: possibilist.midwives@growmidwives.com

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Producer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby Collaboration

GM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, Keynote

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(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026