In this week’s episode of the Midwifery Wisdom Podcast, Augustine Colebrook sits down with Indie McDowell—a classically trained anthropologist and clinically trained midwife with a truly global journey.

Indie began her career working with UNICEF’s Maternal and Neonatal Health Team in Kyrgyzstan before returning to the UK to complete her midwifery training. From there, her path led her to clinical work in Cambodia and Malawi, ultimately drawing her to Ethiopia.

After a year and a half leading neonatal services and emergency obstetric care at a busy referral hospital in rural southwest Ethiopia alongside her colleague Atsede Kidane, the two chose to build something different: their own clinic, rooted in compassion and centered on women’s needs.

Stories from their work in Ethiopia is beautifully captured in the book With Two Souls, co-written by Indie McDowell and Atsede Kidane.

We also dive into what it means to truly commit to place, community, and long-term impact in global birth work.

Are you a midwife called to work beyond borders?

Join us for our upcoming Traveling Midwife Webinar —a 4-part, 8-hour CEU event designed for aspiring and experienced birthworkers who are exploring midwifery on the move.

Led by Augustine Colebrook, and guest traveling midwives, this immersive series will cover legalities, logistics, and cultural considerations of traveling birth work—both international and domestic.

🗓️ Part 1: July 3rd & 9th | 7–9PM EST
🗓️ Part 2: August 6th & 11th | 7–9PM EST

✅ 8 MEAC-approved CEUs

Register now on https://tinyurl.com/travelingmidwife

Hosts Shiphrah and Susanna sit down with Sophia Ortiz, an independent midwife based in Corfu, Greece, to explore what it truly means to walk the path of midwifery.

With over a decade of experience and more than 100 births attended, Sophia brings a deep reverence for birth as both a physiological marvel and a spiritual rite of passage. She shares how her journey—from drama school to midwifery school in the UK, to her current work supporting families in Corfu—helped her realize what she had always known deep down: she is and has always been a midwife.

Learn more about Sophia on her website: https://www.birthingwisdomcorfu.com/

In this powerful episode, hosts Shiprah and Susanna sit down with Adelaide Adubouffour—renowned Perineal Specialist Midwife and founder of Peri Health London—to talk about one of the most overlooked aspects of postpartum care: perineal trauma.

Drawing from her work at West Middlesex University Hospital and nearly a decade of teaching and clinical leadership, Adelaide shares why perineal health matters, how we can improve outcomes for birthing people, and what inspired her to create a globally recognized training program for midwives and doctors.

If you care about pelvic floor integrity, respectful repair, and empowering providers to do better, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Learn more about Adelaide's work here:

https://perihealthlondon.com/