Ep 312: Why This OB-GYN Walked Away From the System with Dr. Nathan Riley

Hospital birth may not be the right path for every OB/GYN.

This week, I’m in conversation with Dr. Nathan Riley, an OB-GYN and palliative care physician who left conventional medicine to support home birth and midwifery-led care. We talk about what the system gets wrong, what it does right, and how honoring true autonomy can transform the birth experience.

You’ll hear two OBs with very different paths, get real about training gaps, liability fears, and what actually supports healthy birth. Whether you’re planning a home birth, a hospital birth, or you’re just curious about your options, this is an episode that challenges assumptions and opens possibilities.

You’ll learn:

• Why Dr. Riley left the hospital system — and what he does now
• How hospital training limits women’s birth choices
• What really happens during an emergency C-section
• The untold truth about vaginal breech birth
• What autonomy actually looks like in labor (and how to prepare for it)

Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Nathan Riley on Instagram
• Born Free Method
• Beloved Holistics

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