The Possibilist Midwives

If I told you there was a $17 million dollar check sitting on a table with your name on it, you’d probably pull up a chair, right? Now, what if I told you that check is already signed, the seats are being filled, but midwives a key component of the funding objectives aren't even in the room?Episode 9 explores the TMaH—Transforming Maternal Health state grants with a focus on Alabama. In 2025, fifteen State Medicaid Associations were awarded $17 million each. States are now in the three-year Pre-Implementation Phase. This is the 'assessment and planning' period that will dictate exploration and implementation concepts funded until December 31, 2034.What is a required objective? Workforce expansion. But here is the problem:What happens when a State Medicaid Association staff has zero familiarity with midwife scope of practice or credentials?What happens when the grant applications aren't in the public domain, and midwives don't even know the funding exists?This is about power. If midwifery is being held hostage by barriers to practice and inequitable reimbursement, TMaH is the key to the lock. But you can't wait for an invitation that might never come. If we don’t organize now, 'workforce expansion' will be defined for us, not by us.In This Episode Ginger, Denise and guest Dr. Elizabeth Munoz DNP, CNM break down strategy to move from the sidelines to the conversation. We discuss:How to track down your state’s TMaH roadmapOrganize your Affiliate WHY aligned with funding objectivesBring objective actions to collaborate as an expected organizationFederal program overview https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/innovation-models/tmahAlabama TMaH webpage https://medicaid.alabama.gov/content/2.0_Newsroom/2.7_Special_Initiatives/2.7.7_Transforming_Maternal_Health_TMaH_Model.aspxCo-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

How do you know if the offer is actually a fair deal, or if it's hiding harsh restrictive covenants? This week, Ginger and Denise sit down with attorney Isaac Booth, MUED, J.D. to pull back the curtain on common clauses in employment agreements for midwives.From identifying "red flag" clauses to understanding the long-term impact of malpractice coverage, we’re breaking down the essentials you need to know before you sign.In this episode, we explore:The Anatomy of a Fair Offer: How to tell if a contract is balanced, interpretable, and equitable.AI vs. Attorney: Can AI truly replace a professional analysis of your contract details?The Deal-Breakers: What should make you walk away from negotiating // unless you want to practice?Malpractice & Restrictive Covenants: Why these two specific areas can make or break your professional future.Signing Savvy: Why you should never sign a contract watermarked "draft" or one with incomplete lines.Negotiation Strategies: Practical tips for defining your rights and obligations while securing the best possible offer.Whether you are a new graduate looking at your first offer or a seasoned midwife considering a change, this conversation can help increase awareness in how you evaluate employment agreements.Free law dictionary discussed on podcast https://www.law.cornell.edu/Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

Are you a midwife searching for a fair salary and a workload that actually defines and respects your FTE? When you're scrolling through job postings, it’s easy to get lost in the "right fit" rhetoric. But what does that term really mean to a recruiter, and are they looking for someone vested in the job or just trying to hit a hiring quota?In this episode, Ginger and Denise pull back the curtain on the recruitment process. They take a randomly selected, current, redacted job offer for a full-time midwife and perform a live breakdown. Topics include:Reading Between the Lines: How to spot "hidden cues" in a job description that reveal the true culture of a practice.The Recruiter’s Lens: Distinguishing between a genuine values connection and "talent acquisition specialists" just looking to fill a seat.Leveraging Your Worth: How to use the details within a job posting to gain leverage during salary and contract negotiations.The Scope of the Role: Finding clarity on onboarding, bonuses, and 'extra work' beyond minimum expectations before you sign on the dotted line.Whether you're actively searching or just curious about your market value, join in for a deep dive into finding a position that offers both professional growth and personal alignment.Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

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-arcGood 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, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

What does it really take to restart a clinical career after years away? Join Ginger and Denise as they talk with Emily Portis, a practicing midwife who faced significant hurdles when re-entering the field after a three-year break. Emily opens up about the "pivots" she made and how she used the strength of her network to land the right role. It’s an honest look at the grit needed to overcome modern healthcare obstacles—from tech advancements to shifting clinical standards, adapting work schedules, and a testament to the power of staying connected during a career gap.Article on ob/gyn workforce: Geographic variation in supply, demand, and adequacy of the obstetrics and gynecology physician workforce: forecasts and shortage risks in the United States. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2026 Feb 14;313(1):95. doi: 10.1007/s00404-026-08322-5. PMID: 41691088; PMCID: PMC12906581. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41691088/Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

Ginger and Denise welcome their first midwife guest to The Possibilist Midwives podcast, Jualeah Early, CNM. With more than 17 years of full-scope midwifery practice, Jualeah has served in diverse settings—from private practice and a free-standing birth center to her current role as a CNM laborist with OBHG in Florida. In this powerful conversation, she opens up about the challenges and stereotypes Black midwives often encounter throughout their education and professional journeys. Tune in and leave inspired to pause, reflect, and embrace a deeper commitment to listening to patient's.OBHG 2025 Annual Maternal Health Impact Report referenced  https://obhg.com/new-report-what-maternal-health-impact-really-looks-like-beyond-the-metrics/Application for the two, 2026 Grow Midwives BIPOC $1000 Student Scholarships. Random drawing Feb 28th. https://form.jotform.com/241544340632146Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

In this episode, Ginger and Denise welcome Arden Schwenker, CFO of Grow Midwives LLC and leader of Grow Midwives Billing & Recovery Solutions, for a deep dive into the financial realities shaping midwifery practice today.Arden breaks down common coding challenges, why understanding your Accounts Charged matters more than you think, and how wRVUs can become powerful leverage when negotiating your worth. The conversation also explores Incident-to billing and tackles the financial questions midwives ask most—often answered with Arden’s favorite (and very real) response: #itdepends.This episode kicks off a foundational series on following the money—because financial fluency isn’t optional if you want sustainability, autonomy, and growth in midwifery practice.✨ Insightful. Practical. Essential listening for midwives ready to understand—and claim—their value.Resources:Arden Schwenker bio https://growmidwives.com/about/arden-schwenker/Federal Registrar Open Comment for Maternity Care Shortage Area.Matthew Patterson, Senior Advisor, Division of Policy and Shortage Designation, Bureau of Health Workforce, HRSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, phone number: (301) 594-5110, Mail Stop 15SWH03, Rockville, Maryland 20857, or [email protected] wRVU calculatorhttps://www.aapc.com/tools/rvu-calculator.aspx?srsltid=AfmBOopchL9FDBHX1n1dX2FFKIAQtfdBtxnrPbsDKBK4nF6Ivrl6AREcCo-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

In their second podcast Ginger and Denise unpack the value of self-reflection and why this is important across a career. They discuss a tool designed by Grow Midwives to identify wants from needs and explain how clarifying personal, professional and financial issues can provide leverage in negotiation. In addition, Ginger offers suggestions on how to use this tool alongside additional survey methods to spark your practice or Affiliate to action.   Link to Wants and Needs Tool https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D9ttwNoPJpUOHBBMB0aeMYgxEKCCSUT3/view?usp=sharingOrganizational Assessment using SWOT and PESTLE analysis  https://www.scribd.com/doc/119040692/SwotCo-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026

In their first episode Ginger & Denise share how they met 36 years ago, their journey into the midwifery profession, explore "Breaking News", and dive into the 'why' behind starting a podcast dedicated to midwives. "Breaking News" segment of recently filed petition to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of Heather Swanson, DNP, CNM that seeks change of statutes banning CNMs attending home birth, represented by the Pacific Legal Foundation. https://journalstar.com/news/state-regional/crime-courts/article_ba9787ac-e41d-4a51-9e69-fd6592b13e17.htmlWilliam Ury, author seven books with newest release in October 2024, Possible, How We Survive (and Thrive) in an Age of Conflict, and co-author of the international bestseller, Getting To Yes, Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Purchase Possible on Audible and hear Ury narrate his 40-year career!  https://www.williamury.com/Save The Date Grow Midwives 4th annual "Midwifery at the Crossroads" conference, Virtual-only, Thursday, July 23rd. KEYNOTE SPEAKER: William Ury [5 CME pending] Registration opens in May and unlimited due to virtual format.Join us! Whether you're a veteran midwife or just beginning your journey, you'll walk away feeling energized, empowered, and ready to engage - not just react. You've found your people!Co-hosts: Dr.'s Ginger Breedlove, PhD, CNM, FACNM, FAAN & Denise Fryzelka, PhD, CNM, FACNMEmail The Possibilist Midwives, with questions: [email protected] Product of Grow Midwives, LLC https://growmidwives.com/Follow on FaceBook for daily posts https://www.facebook.com/growmidwivesofficial/Grow Midwives YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/@growmidwivesProducer: Isaac Booth; Music by Moby CollaborationGM Annual Conference: Virtual Only, July 23rd - William Ury, KeynoteThanks for listening, following & sharing with your friends!(c) Grow Midwives, LLC January 2026