Dr. Mike debunks birth control, home births, and medical misinformation | Ep. 55 

Do you have any experience working with people with health anxiety?

You did a great service by educating their mostly-female teen fans and countering some of the misinformation that Matt and Abby have posted about breastfeeding, birth control, pregnancy, birth, postpartum depression vs. hormonal baby blues, ice baths and fasting. You were the podcast guest that their viewers needed.

Does IUD stops your period???

@@alonalyons8685It depends on the person. For some people it does but for some it doesn’t!

love you doctor mike 🫶

Yes! He's a wonderful teacher !

Hi is a professor of life ❤

@@m.m8555I was just about to say this

I would take his classes a couple of times, and probably get him as a speaker for events.

He should teach through the CUNY system remotely/asynchronously or in person if he ever has the desire!! A lot of young people and working professionals would benefit from his teaching style and perspectives.

no because as a hypochondriac that would totally be me😭

THISSSS 😂😂😂

because homebirth is just as safe as giving birth in a hospital; when a woman isn't medical, of course. And if need be, you're in a hospital within 30min max.

Agreed! And when discussing home births the distinction between assisted and unassisted home births needs to be made. It sounded like they thought home births were mostly unassisted which is not the case. Two completely different things.

@@demi3115and for some people that 30mins is the difference between life and death for them or their child. That’s why it’s important to weigh the risks appropriately

I had 3 home births and all 3 were supported by two midwives with a ton of experience. I highly, highly, highly recommend exploring the option. Even if you don't make the decision to have a home birth, there are many different options these days including birth centers.

​@@demi3115 Tell that to all emergency c sections out there 🤷 if the baby's heart rate dropped it is a couple of minutes and not 30 to prevent irreversible consequences.

And Matt especially. He never stops.

EXACTLY. Intelligence + science + that face lol

Couldn’t have said it better myself ❤❤❤

Right, because every doctor who made a mistake was riding in like slim pickins yelling “yeehaw, we’re gonna cure your cold w/ jackhammer anemia!” It’s only Dr dreamy eyes who really cares.

Thanks for watching!

​@UnplannedPodcast....it's so enjoyable when you see youtubers that you love to watch come together❤ LOVE YOU GUYS

@@UnplannedPodcast Hey I know you probably won’t see this, but I just wanted to say that you guys have inspired me so much as a mom of three under two (twins and one 22 months younger). I think the not enough Nelson’s or the haddock’s would be great. I love you guys so much and keep making great videos and people feel great❤

Dr Mike may be a well known fan,I,y doctor but he doesn’t follow natural medicine or practices. So I’d take his commentary with a grain of salt. I am glad he clears up medical misinformation though He seems to be good at that.

​@@cindlandand you are? Many doctors claim to be using natural methods don't.

Doctor’s wife here! Something that we have come to realize that shocked us in the health field is that there ABSOLUTELY are doctors that give into “fear mongering” media tactics. It’s actually surprising how many medical professionals-doctors, nurses, PAs, NPs-choose media opinions over their education. So I encourage everyone to listen to what Dr. Mike said, the doctor who gives OPTIONS and explains pros and cons of the options and explains that there is no “right answer,” etc. Those are the doctors you want. Never be afraid to switch doctors!! Doctors are humans too and are susceptible to believing false things.

I'm so disappointed Mike just brushed off side effects of hormonal birth control as if those concerns are just unfounded and stem from some fear rather than the reality that hormonal birth control generally sucks.

Sorry, but no, hormonal birth control does not « generally suck ». There are many different sorts of hormonal birth control and some of them may be better for certain people while others may be better for others. There are side effects that apply a lot more to certain people than to others. Having a blood clotting disorder is one of those where the combined pill is probably not the one for you but the progesterone one would be fine. It all very much depends. You as the patient should advocate for yourself and not just take the first birth control thrown your way but this does not mean all birth control is somehow dangerous for everybody.

@superasper Thank you!! The pill has been incredibly important and beneficial to me, and it's really disheartening to hear other people making inaccurate sweeping generalizations like naryainc was saying. SOME people have terrible side effects, SOME people have none. We can't listen to people who say "such and such medicine is ALWAYS bad" - or, for that matter, anybody who says "such and such medicine is ALWAYS good"!

I've had exactly the same experience with the doctors I've seen. It's so frustrating going to see a gynecologist, asking for guidance on birth control and being told that my worries are just some internet propaganda. No, I have seen girls around me suffer because of the pill, I'd been on the pill for a short time and I did not enjoy the experience greatly, I want someone to talk to me honestly instead of giving me cold looks and telling me to trust the professionals

He’s so patient and explains things in a way that people will understand without sounding like he’s dumbing it down for us

@SparklySara16 exactly! And he can explain complex topics using commonplace terms, which makes it applicable to me.

You realize he’s the bottom rung of medical competence, right? He’s a DO doing family practice so he still has time to make content and model. Maybe you should get medical info from someone who hasn’t spent 4 yrs learning which $300 pants are sexiest.

@@Billsbob I didn’t comment on his medical knowledge. I get my medical info from my doctor. Just saying that in a very polarized and divided social media landscape, where engagement is secured through all kinds of bait, I appreciate a nuanced perspective which acknowledges that things aren’t black or white.

@@Billsbob you’re clearly projecting how you feel about him based on his looks. He still went to medical school and is extremely knowledgeable. Having more free time to educate people on youtube has nothing to do with his competency as a doctor.

@Billsbob Yes the voodoo practice of the inferior DO. Many of which have taken both the DO and MD board exams for application competitiveness.

@@BillsbobAnd CLEARLY this makes him less qualified to talk about this than your TikTok certified influencer

I was thinking the same thing. I wonder who's in charge of booking the podcast because these guests are phenomenal. Sending love from Los Angeles 💜💛

Yes!!! Here in the US my mom done the same and her midwife was a past hospital midwife so she had ALL the supplies needed with being experienced in difficult births and we are only 5 minutes from our closest hospital which was a stress relief. Everything went absolutely PERFECT for her and it was her 6th child. Beautiful experience for everyone and she loved it!

The issue in the US is there is no federal standard of care provided by midwives. There’s no regulation of who can call themselves of a midwife.

Yes absolutely I’m in Australia and our midwife’s are unifersity trained just like nurses and are more then capable to handle a home birth safely. I would feel far more safe and taken care of by a midwife than a OB in pregnancy. Far less interventions, lack of information, birth trauma and being pushed into things for no reason.

With my first child I had at 18, I was told by my OB I needed to be induced because my “placenta was dying” even though I was 40 weeks and 4 days - hardly that well overdue for the placenta to fail so suddenly. The induction was terrible - the contractions were so intense, I got the epidural and it failed on one side, I couldn’t tell when to push, the nurse was lecturing me, the doctor gave me an episiotomy without my consent…awful experience. I placed my baby for open adoption, so on top of that, I had a traumatic birth. I told myself with my other children I parented in the future, I would avoid that again at all costs. With my second child, I had a more holistic-minded OBGYN and had an unmedicated hospital birth and I loved it. With my third, fourth, and fifth child(ren) I had a midwife and had home births. NIGHT AND DAY difference. It was such a beautiful experience, I felt in control, I felt loved, supported, and my healing process was much faster. If you’re a low risk pregnancy, consider midwifery care. Hospital care is there for high risk or emergencies, but so much trauma surrounds hospital births. Check out www.evidencebasedbirth.com for unbiased research and information about all things birth, labor, postpartum, etc.

@@kimc555a lot of states have regulations regarding this. And ACOG exists for this reason as well. I think you’re thinking of doulas - I’m a certified doula through DONA, BUT you don’t have to be certified to be a doula, which I believe everyone should be certified before becoming one.

Similar story here, one absolutely awful hospital birth (bullied constantly by staff, though nothing went wrong with me in any way) and had my second in my living room with a knowledgeable midwife. It was incredible.

Yes Dr. Mike is legit! He’s great on being very nuanced . Love him. Check out his podcast where he debates one of the quacks.

Yes! He gave such unbiased, factual information!

Girl, go subscribe to his channel! ☺️

Dr. Mike is amazing. articulate, knowledgeable, intelligent, unbiased, presents scientific information with evidence without agenda and very nuanced.

Yes!!

Yes! Midwives are medical professionals with all the equipment. Equating doulas to midwives is so ignorant. I'm a doula, I am not a midwife. One is a labor coach, the other is a medical professional who is proficient in all things birth related (aside from surgery).

@@alwayzjello my midwife had over 3,000 births in her career.. I fully trusted her! :)

I loved my home birth as well and wouldn't do it any other way. It sounded like they didn't really know what a home birth was since they think home births are unassisted. Assisted and unassisted home births are two completely different things. Home births started becoming more and more popular since COVID so it's surprising they don't know more or didn't research it more.

There is a higher risk with homebirths. My country has the highest percentage of homebirth in the western world. And also a higher birth-related mortality rate than our neighbouring countries where the majority of births take place in a hospital or clinic. I will also opt for a hospital birth. I live on the third floor of an apartment building. If I have complications they would need to transport me horizontally, which means they would need to call the fire brigade to get me down via the balcony. I've witnessed that happen to my neighbour (hanging there, while being in so much pain from the contractions. Luckily she and her daughter are both fine). If everything goes as planned home birth can be great and more comfortable. But when I look at what it would take to get me to a hospital in case of complications (and how much time that could take) it feels like too much of a risk.

Was it the hormonal one?

Or was it the copper one?

Yeah I lost my hair and my hormones were completely whack with the mirena. Never again

They made a phone call and set up a date. He agreed because he likes them.

@@arfriedman4577most likely their management team set it up.

On this podcast channel, they don't have many subscribers. People probably listen to their podcasts on other apps like Spotify or something. But on their original channel, they do have quite a lot of subscribers, like 7 million (maybe a little less). That is pretty high. Dr. Mike has more, like a little more than 11 million. I still think it's a good (aka beneficial) collab even for Dr. Mike, because I am sure Matt and Abby have many subscribers that don't follow Dr. Mike, but after this, they may subscribe to his channel.

lindsif2 Home births can be scary when things go wrong and even if everything is done "right." Just because your first home birth when as planned and without any complications that doesn't mean your next home birth will be the same. Hospitals have saved countless of newborns and mothers lives in emergency situations where it was out of midwives scope of practice. For example, an emergency C- section and a NICU team for the newborn,etc. In the US the midwives are NOT participating in the activities that are occurring to save you and your newborn life at the hospital.

@@cupcake1406 of course the next birth is going to be different, but that doesn’t mean women shouldn’t know their options for home births and working with midwives. All options should be learned about and not villainized. If it happens where the next birth needs intervention, then of course I would use those resources to keep my baby and myself alive. But in my opinion, being at home is very beneficial. But also being at a hospital can be beneficial as well. In my case, the hospital was a last resort. That’s not going to be for everyone. Giving birth shouldn’t be feared, it’s the most natural thing humans go through. I wish women were more educated on how their bodies work and how birth can be amazing with the right support and knowledge. There are a ton of resources on home births that people just look over because the hospital is the easiest solution. But again, this is my opinion.

Home births are how we got as far along as we did as a species, so I'm guessing they're okay sometimes. I know all kinds of women who gave birth in hospitals, birth centers, and bathtubs, and they were all in the right with their choices.

​​@@lindsif2 I definitely think that many women don't educate themselves on any of the aspect and resources of pregnancy, labor and delivery and postpartum. Women need to be more proactive in educating themselves instead relying on professionals completely. Many pregnant women will go to the hospital when they think they are in labor and demand an epidural,without first trying any and all natural non medicine inventions such as: walking, changing positions, massaging their back,etc. I agree with you, many women find the hospital the easy way out..."just give me the epidural and that is all the work I want to do." Then, expect the doctors and nurses to due most of the work without much input from the patient. I hope what I am saying makes sense. By the way, I am a nurse so, I have seen this play out many times. Congratulations on your the birth of your newborn. I wish you nothing but the best in life.

@@cupcake1406the United States of America ranks 41st in the world for mother mortality tied in 2020 with countries like Lebanon and behind Palestine in 2020 😮. Because of health issues I’ve had I don’t get the choice and have to have a C section. But the midwife that delivered 2 of my siblings had delivered over 3,000 babies. I think the Doctor had about 300. Midwives and home births according to Dr Mike are under 2% births. Home births are not the reason we are 41 in the world for mother mortality during birth. The US maternal care needs to be revisited! And women need to be valued in medical research!

This was filmed 2 weeks ago

Yes, we are gaslit whenever we tell them what it is doing to us.

The amount of doctors that tried to get me to go back on birth control after it caused me to have my gal bladder removed was so frustrating.

YES!!! I had the mirena (sp?) IUD in for the 5 years and had problems with it the ENTIRE TIME, I asked for it to be removed repeatedly and was told things like "its all in your head", I went to get it removed at the 5 year mark and was delayed a further 2 years because they were convinced that they could get it out without putting me under a general, despite the copper bits being too short which was discovered in the first appt for removal and was noted, it took a dr literally grabbing the cervix with plier type things and yanking with all his might, and me reacting by kicking him and security being called before they'd let me get a surgical removal. so not only do I have trauma from SA/CSA but I have medical trauma as well. The current fall out from my medical teams negligence and narcissism, is ive been left totally unable to have more children, as well as having cysts and found out last year that I have a tumour between my bladder and uterus that may or may not be cancerous, im in and out of hospital and drs clinics almost constantly with problems relating to the tumour and things like getting my period, I get treated like absolute rubbish by all but my GP and yet these medical professionals have the audacity to complain incessantly about a variety of workplace issues, most of which they have caused anyway

Also, sea salt has minerals that you literally need to absorb hydration. But mineral salt is different from sodium content.

I’m so thankful that things went well for you. Unfortunately, we are on opposite sides of the spectrum with this. If I had NOT had issues carrying my babies, and was not further away from the hospital, I may have considered it. My daughter’s delivery was so scary. The cord prolapsed and came through the birth canal before her head. The cord was around her neck 3 times, so every time I pushed it was literally strangling her. When she was finally born her head was BLACK. I’m not kidding or exaggerating, as black as licorice. The rest of her body was white as a sheet. She looked horrible. Her first Apgar was 2. They had to shock her several times to get her breathing. It was so traumatic they drugged me without asking or telling me. By the Grace of God she had no lasting effects from the birth. If she had taken one breath before she stopped breathing she would have had severe brain damage. Too risky for me, I am paranoid. The nurse said to me (right after delivery) that this is a good example of why home births are not a good idea. Both her and my ob/gyn said that she wouldn’t have made it if I was home. I’m not saying that they are always wrong or risky, it’s just not for me. I will be praying for you. Especially that everything goes smoothly. Sorry this is so long. I tried to shorten it😂

@@stephanieann622 even at the hospital, a cord prolapse is a serious problem. I doubt things would’ve gone differently just because you were in the hospital. The hospital doesn’t prepare for every situation for every birth. They would have to do as much figuring out of what to do and get the supplies to help you as a midwife would. I lost a child who had super ventricular tachycardia…. his heart rate was beating at 260 bpm and our midwife felt something was wrong because the Doppler wasn’t picking up the baby’s heartbeat very well and it was sounding weird… We went to the OB, the GYN that was above her, and he pooped any issues with the baby, but made an appointment with the maternal fetal specialist, and obviously told them that we were overreacting because they wouldn’t let me come in for over a month. My midwife kept insisting something was up, and we ignored her and trusted the OB/GYN… Guess what, if I gone right away to the maternal fetal specialist and treated what was a very bad bad heart condition for a baby to have… he might still be alive today. But we waited till our appointment a month and a half later, and by that time the damage already been done and had hydrops at that point (that is when your body cavity fills up with fluid- it happened because his heart was beating so fast. His blood and other liquids in his vessels could not get through the heart fast enough as blood was backing up.) We lost him 14 days later, and they tried to blame the midwife at the hospital and I defended her and said no and gave the name of the OB/GYN who ignored the whole problem even when his own ultrasound tech was also concerned, he ignored my midwife and her. I told him he was the one that we trusted and shouldn’t have. So doctors can also make mistakes and it can kill babies… hospital does not guarantee safety, nor a perfect birth… people are people, and we are flawed and people make mistakes. There is no place on earth you can go to avoid all risks of anything going wrong… We need to stop, assuming that every single problem that could happen in birth is avoidable, just because we go to a hospital… Birth is mostly safe, but sometimes it gets dangerous for mom and baby and some situations. It doesn’t matter where you are it’s life or death, regardless . There is enough evidence, even in the United States to show that if you pick a certified midwife or a licensed midwife of any kind that isn’t untrained , there are evidences for that birth to go well. Most problems that could be an issue show up way before you even have your first contraction.

I loved all the responses to this comment. And they prove what I always say: EVERY BIRTH IS DIFFERENT. Every pregnancy is different. Just because something goes one way the last time doesn't mean you have to do it the same the next time. I've had two homebirths with midwife, two unassisted births, and two c-sections and they were all mixed up. Because every one of my babies needed being delivered differently, and that is TOTALLY fine.

@@Jaxmusicgal23 Most importantly I am sending my most sincere condolences. I am so sorry about the loss of your sweet baby boy. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you going through life without him. I also apologize for my comment if it offended you, that definitely wasn’t my intention with sharing my story. You are exactly correct. I still could have had a less favorable outcome if I was delivering at home. What I should have said was that having the operating room so close by, brought me comfort knowing they could get her out quickly if needed. Her heart stopped as her head was being born, I had to push 2 more times so they could get to her for resuscitation. Sorry to ramble on, I just feel really bad that my comment was expressed in a less than positive way. I was just trying to share a different perspective and I didn’t do so hot. Anyway Jax, I hope you are healthy and as happy as possible. I will keep you and your little man in my prayers🙏💙

I think people have vastly different experiences. I know other women who have that experience. For me it’s the opposite.

bruh all he did was ask about intercourse💀

Agreed anyone who says microdose in your body every day with hormones is good for you, and it’s not gonna affect you in anyway, whatsoever is straight up lying to you. Same thing happened to me, I went on birth control to help with my endometriosis, and I turned into a complete and total psycho. I was out of control until I came off the pill.

I see the main message did not come across... he is talking about the general population. In general terms, it will not cause a change in hormonal interaction. It is also quite simplistic to just talk about a substance "changing hormones". Which ones? At what concentration? Is that concentration significant to actually manipulate physiological processes? I also think people tend to forget the researched proven benefits from being on hormonal birth control. Once again, a personal opinion is not a fact...

I too took several types of birth control,went down to the lowest dose possible and no matter what it made me absolutely CRAZY. Went 9 years off and tried it again for 2 months during that two month I had terrible headaches, felt zombie-like, and had so many angry moments. I can't do it. Not ever.

You should watch the Ted talk “your brain on birth control”

I think I struggled a lot with this when i gave birth 5 months ago. I was so set on a natural hospital birth and did a calm birthing course. I did so much research and spoke to mums. I was so set on it being natural and unfortunately due to the research and strong opinions I did see the hospital staff as being against me because things escalated and I didn't dilate or go into active labour on my own. I was asked to get an epidural and to get induced and in the moment i saw this as going against my birth plan. At the time i was highly stressed and couldn't think straight so I did see the staff as intervening unnecessarily. However, as you said in the comment, i can see looking back that they were just doing what they could to help me. I will approach the hospital staff very differently with my second. Looking back they did try to allow my plan to take place. They allowed me to wait 30 hours after my waters broke to see if i would go into active labour. They also tried to allow me to get dilated through an epidural before offering a c section. I did end up dilating but then my girl got stuck as she was face up. They tried multiple times to turn her with their hands before offering the c section. They really tried to get me a natural birth. It just didn't work out the way I wanted. Next time I am really going to try to appreciate the staff more and allow things to go as they are...instead of fighting it.

ehm, how is a midwife not medically trained???

I couldn’t stop laughing when he said that😂

I agree… as someone with regular periods, tracking my cycle and various fertility signs has been so empowering for my husband and I to avoid conventional birth control. The apps “predictions” are not always reliable, but you can learn your body

Go to a D.O. If you can!! They are still doctors but of osteopathic medicine, so they take into consideration your whole body and wellness not just pills. Been going to one for 5 years now and I’m way happier.

​@@kianna270In case you didn't know, Dr Mike is a DO.

DO’s are the best doctors!

So sweet ❤ thank you for sharing.

This is exactly what I was thinking! It’s crazy to me because I feel like even at their age I knew way more about the world.

I think they lived a pretty sheltered upbringing

Which makes them perfect for this interview. Because if someone that knew everything interviewed him, they wouldn't have such great questions!

@bshrib72 yeah I definitely knew way more even younger than them, but I wasn't sheltered. I HAD to learn the real world on my own by 18. So it makes sense that they don't know "adult" stuff but it's still crazy to me they are mid 20s with 2 kids and sometimes seem even younger

There’s a possibility that they’re taking the fall for others who don’t know the answers to those questions. Good journalists will ask questions that seem obvious because there’s always someone out there who doesn’t know. I appreciate that they ask these kind of questions, whether or not it’s them being vulnerable to put their amount of knowledge on the line, or taking the fall for others

Dr. Mike also mentioned the implant but didn't go into full detail as you did. It is good to give the extra information. Thank you

Facts! People have so much fear around birth in general its easier to say it's wrong 💁🏻‍♀️ look at all other countries lol

I live in the Netherlands. We have the highest percentage of home births in the western world (1 in 4). We have a good system in place with midwifes and assisting specialised nurses (kraamhulp, who also take care of the woman and baby during the first 8 days). I would still give birth in a hospital though, even with a low risk pregnancy. Because of the time it would take to get me to the hospital if complications occur. I live at the 3rd floor of an apartment building. If I had complications they would need to transport me horizontally (so using the stairs is out of the question). When my neighbour had complications during her birth they had to call the fire department to get her down via the balcony. While she was in a lot of pain because of the contractions. This takes extra time, in a moment when every minute counts. In a different house I might opt for homebirth. But in our current place it feels like taking an unnecessary risk. P.s. my neighbour and her daughter are both fine. Luckily.

A great podcast for that is called Birthing Instincts podcast with Dr Stu and Birthing Blyss