Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

In this incredible birth story, My Essential Birth parents Christa and Morgan take us through one of the most incredible journeys I have ever had the honor of sharing on this podcast.  From a heartbreaking miscarriage to living on the road during pregnancy, to refusing a life flight and driving eight hours home, to an unmedicated delivery nobody saw coming (and a 32-week baby who left every nurse...

What if the birth plan you worked so hard on… actually set you up for disappointment? Most moms spend hours researching , Googling templates, and checking every box , and still walk away from birth feeling blindsided, unprepared , or like the whole experience just happened to them. And it's not their fault. It's because nobody ever showed them what a birth plan is actually supposed to do...

What would you do if your doctor mentioned induction at what felt like a totally routine appointment, and suddenly you were nodding along to something you weren't even sure you agreed to? In this week's episode, I'm walking you through what's really happening when induction comes up, why it feels so hard to push back in the moment, and the three questions that can completely ch...

Some moms swear placenta pills changed their postpartum recovery…others say they did nothing. So what’s actually true? Today I'm sitting down with Dr. Sophia Johnson. She's a physician, researcher, and author who spent a decade studying the placenta inside a university lab in Germany. (Fun fact: in Germany, the placenta is literally called Mutterkuchen: "mother's cake." 🎂...

What would you do if your baby came so fast… your husband hadn't even had his morning coffee yet? Veronica planned a home birth... she just didn't plan for it to look like this: her husband catching their daughter in their bedroom, the midwife and doula still an hour away, and a baby who had absolutely no interest in waiting for anyone. And she definitely didn't plan for her placent...

What if the most powerful voice in your birth room isn't the doctor's — it's your husband's? In this episode, I sit down with Catalina Clark, a licensed home birth midwife in Sonoma, California, who has spent 11 years at the crossroads of spiritual midwifery, birth sovereignty, and the sacred side of birth that nobody in the hospital is talking about. From the father's rol...

Over the years, birth has slowly shifted from a natural, woman-centered experience to something much more medicalized — and most pregnant moms have no idea why. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how modern maternity care evolved , why so many women are left feeling like their bodies are broken (or are told something along those lines), and what you can do right now to walk into birt...

What does it look like when a pelvic floor physical therapist uses everything she knows — plus the My Essential Birth course — to prepare for her own unmedicated birth? It looks like THIS episode. Haley Sampson is a labor of love kind of mama. She stayed active, did her prep work, went to 41 weeks and 3 days, had her water break, and pushed her baby out using tools, visualization, and a birth part...

Is everything we’ve been told about fat… wrong? In this episode, I sit down with Reproductive Endocrinologist & Fertility Specialist, Dr. Robert Kiltz, founder of CNY Fertility, to talk about infertility, gestational diabetes, insulin resistance, and the controversial idea that eating more fat — not less — may be the key to healing. Dr. Kiltz shares his personal health journey, how he began qu...

 If you're aiming for a VBAC this pregnancy, this one is for you mama! I had a wonderful conversation with My Essential Birth Mama, Sarah. She shares how she navigated pregnancy, labor, and birth with confidence — even when things didn’t go exactly as planned. We discuss everything from preparing her mindset during pregnancy to advocating during labor and embracing the beauty of her baby’s ar...

"It's our birthright to be deeply connected to our babies and to grow from it." - Dr. Kirshenbaum What if the most important thing you could do for your baby’s brain… isn’t something you buy, schedule, or optimize — but in the way you nurture & feel ? This week, I sit down with Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum — neuroscientist, author of The Nurture Revolution , and former doula — to talk...

“Don’t lift your arms over your head.” “First babies always come late.” “Hospital birth is the only safe option.” If you’re pregnant, you may have already heard at least one of these — maybe from a well-meaning family member… or maybe from your doctor. In this episode, we’re having a little fun (and a lot of truth-telling) as we walk through 16 of the most common pregnancy and birth myths , from t...

I never thought I would hear birth compared to fighting… but honestly, it might be one of my favorite analogies ever. In this episode, I’m joined by Madie — a professional fighter, dog trainer, and mom — who shares how she approached pregnancy and birth with the same mindset she brings to fight camp: strategy, mental strength, and trust in her mind and body. We talk about what it’s like to navigat...

If you’re pregnant right now, chances are your mornings—or really, your entire day —feel like a constant battle with nausea. 🤢 And that means this episode is 100% for you! In this episode, we uncover the real reasons pregnancy nausea hits so hard — especially early on — and why crackers, ginger, and “just push through it” just don't work. From hormones and blood sugar to minerals, hydration,...

Choosing one word may seem simple, but it can completely transform the way you experience pregnancy and birth. In this episode, I share how selecting a single intention or birth word can help you focus your energy, calm your nervous system, and step into labor feeling empowered and grounded. From reflecting on your pregnancy to setting meaningful goals and aligning your mindset, this episode is fu...

What would you do if your labor moved so fast… you barely made it to the hospital? This birth story is our most downloaded episode of the entire year!  In this powerful birth story, My Essential Birth Course student Morgan Adams shares her journey through pregnancy, gestational diabetes, and two very different birth experiences — including an incredibly fast, unmedicated hospital birth where she m...

What happens when the birth you thought you’d have turns into something even more powerful? In this incredible unmedicated birth story, My Essential Birth Mama Rebekah Foderaro shares her journey from planning a hospital birth to unexpectedly falling in love with birth center care. Along the way, she opens up about pregnancy challenges, navigating provider options, trusting her intuition, and how...

Can you imagine having only about 10 contractions and your baby being born?! This is seriously the BEST birth story! In this unforgettable (and honestly unbelievable) birth story, My Essential Birth students Ashley & Bryan Worley share their second birth experience — from preparing for pregnancy while parenting a toddler, to doing deep mental work for birth, to a labor that went from “hmm, may...

This birth story is such a beautiful reminder that preparation, prayer, and unwavering partner support can truly transform the labor experience .  In this episode, Kaitlyn and her husband Kale share their faith-filled home birth journey — from unexpected pregnancy challenges and prenatal depression to the incredible moment Kale caught their baby in the birth tub. You’ll hear the raw realities of t...

What would you do if your baby came so fast… there was no time to make it to the hospital? In this unforgettable, heart-melting birth story, My Essential Birth Mama Karlen shares her journey with us through a challenging pregnancy, an unexpected early labor after planning for induction, and a completely unplanned roadside birth with only her husband by her side. From the moment she realized, “I’m...

“I love my baby… AND I’m struggling.” If you’ve ever thought that and immediately felt guilt, shame, or fear that something was wrong—you are not alone. In this deeply moving and much-needed episode, I sit down with Dr. Margo Lowy , author of the powerful new book Maternal Ambivalence , to talk about the full emotional reality of motherhood—starting in pregnancy . This conversation is profoundly h...

If you’ve ever wondered what a peaceful , physiological , deeply empowering home birth can look like — especially with a big baby — this episode will become your new obsession. Today, Taylor Ward walks us through her beautiful birth story of her 9 lb 12 oz baby boy born at home… after going 8 days past her due date … with zero cervical checks , no stitches , and the most intuitive, grounded labor...

Pregnant and already worried about how your baby will sleep? Forget cry-it-out and rigid sleep methods — there’s a gentler, biology-based way to support your baby’s rest. In this episode, Pediatric Sleep Expert Louise Herbert shares what every pregnant mom needs to know before your little one even arrives. Learn how to set up your baby’s environment, support their natural rhythms, and protect your...

Join the My Essential Birth Course by Nov 7 and get TWO exclusive bonuses: The Belly Mapping Guide + Partner Belly Binding Video ! Help your baby get into the best position for birth and support your healing postpartum. You’ve been prepping for birth, but with so much conflicting advice, it’s easy to feel nervous or unprepared… and you’re not alone! In this episode, I’m breaking down what most peo...

Join the My Essential Birth Course by Nov 7  and get TWO exclusive bonuses: The Belly Mapping Guide + Partner Belly Binding Video ! Help your baby get into the best position for birth and support your healing postpartum. You know your baby better than anyone — but when it comes to milestones, feeding, or development, it’s easy to second-guess yourself...and you're not alone! In this episode,...