Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

It's true that we love telling you all of the ways to have an easier, more comfortable, confident and empowered birth experience, but we decided to switch things up and get a little sarcastic so you can join us in some laughs while we give you all the top tips on what will cause more pain during labor.  Maybe you already know that being flat on your back and not having great support will leav...

I sat down with Dr. Nate Fox, once again, and I got to ask him all of YOUR questions about twins! Birthing one baby comes with its fair share of challenges, but for mamas birthing two babies in one shot, well, there's some things you'll want to know. Thankfully, Nate talks us through some of the different things you can expect during the pregnancy, birth, and some postpartum. Not only do...

On this weeks podcast, I had the pleasure of sitting with one of the members of the My Essential Birth Course, and talking about her most recent birth experience. Erica is a mother of three, and due to previous births that were less than she had hoped for, she decided to explore a different option for her third pregnancy. She talks about her provider experience - what needed to change for this bir...

This week’s episode is going to focus on all of the ins and outs of prodromal labor. 2020 changed a lot of things for birth, including causing a ton of prodromal labor for expecting mamas. In this episode,  I walk you through exactly what prodromal labor is, what the risks are, if there are any benefits, how to prevent it, what to do for yourself (and baby) if you end up experiencing it, and what...

Women are being forced into unnecessary inductions which makes me pose the question, do women’s bodies need to be forced into labor as much as they are being right now, and if there is a medically-necessary reason for this, how can we make it an excellent experience? In this episode I want to discuss what would constitute some medical reasons for inductions AND what you can do when an induction be...

If your partner is thinking that there's really no point in having a doula because that's kind of taking over their job, or they don't think it's worth the financial investment, or they just literally have no idea what a doula does, they're not alone! This episode is going to walk you through our (my husband + me) journey to discovering what a doula was, why she might be b...

This is another extra special episode because I am here with my sister. If you have been following along for a while you know I said I hoped to have her on the podcast one day and I’m really excited for all of you to listen in to her story. It is one of strength, courage, and resilience. She talks about her many obstacles and wins throughout her pregnancy, different ways in which she advocated for...

I can't believe I get to be here with you for the 100th Episode of this podcast! With my many years of experience, professionally and personally, I thought this would be the perfect time to gather together the very most important things for pregnancy and birth. These are things, time and time again, that help mothers to have the births that they desire. These are things that will make the big...

If you're considering cloth diapering, I may just firehose you (in a good way) on this episode so I apologize, and you're welcome. It's a ton of information and I hope you give you a better idea of what you are in for. I cover everything from the benefits for baby and parents, what the upkeep looks like, what's not so great about cloth diapering, and onto how to care for them a...

The partner's point of view can be kind of a mystery and I've had a lot of women asking me what their partner should know and do. Well, you're welcome...and I'm sorry. This week I brought my dear husband on the show and I truly hope you get something good out of it as we laugh our way through pregnancy, birth, marriage, love, and parenting. We talk about what it was like to sup...

Birth stories are a window into the powerful work we do as women to get our babies earthside and Eryn's story is no exception. She was a student of mine when she was preparing for her very first birth. Her and her husband worked hard together to prepare for this task of birth ahead of them and when they came back to share their story, after they had their sweet baby, I was amazed at the detai...

This is quick and information-filled episode about placenta previa, including, what it is, how it's diagnosed during pregnancy, how it will affect your birth, and of course I leave you with all the good news. Maybe you're early in pregnancy and don't know what this is yet, or perhaps you're later in pregnancy and have been diagnosed. Either way, this is an excellent topic for e...

This episode dives deep into everything you want to know about placenta encapsulation. From postpartum depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders, to what to do if your partner isn't on board. Listen in as expert, Shannon Sheppard, answers all of these questions and much more. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @myessentialbirth and for even more great info head over to www.myesse...

We know from our years of serving women, taking them step by step through childbirth education, that there is a power to birth and work to be done in order to achieve the birth you desire. This episode highlights some important key things for you to do in order prepare for the birth that you want! From exercises, to meditation, and labor rehearsals, all the work that you put into preparing will pa...

Our loving warning to you is to make sure that you get pregnant before letting your partner listen to this adorable list! Ha! We must say we had a ton of fun recording this podcast and thinking through all of things our poor partners have to deal with. As moms, we mostly embrace all of the changes that happen to our body; from our growing belly, to lack of sleep and funny food cravings … because,...

We stress the importance of having a vision for your birth and finding the right provider to support you through that process, but how exactly do you get there? There are likely going to be some obstacles you will face as you work through what you know you want for your birth, understanding what questions to ask your provider, thinking through real-life scenarios you may come up against and having...

With so many decisions to make during pregnancy and postpartum, we know that vaccines are not only a hot topic but are also at the forefront of everyone's mind with all that 2020 brought. As with all of our topics we discuss here on the podcast, we try to give you the very best, credible information so that you can research, ask questions, and make an informed decision that is right for you a...

Tune into this excellent conversation we had with prenatal yoga instructor, doula, Lamaze Childbirth Educator, and mother, Deb Flashenberg as we discuss why it's so important to have balance in the pelvis throughout pregnancy and birth.  Deb shares her personal and professional experience including how she went from a five-hour pushing stage with her first baby to a five-minute pushing stage...

It's not that you can't eat a ton, or that you're swollen, the heartburn, exhaustion, or crazy pregnancy dreams, so do you know what it is!? We have seen a massive increase in this challenge for pregnant women especially since Covid hit in 2020. Don't worry though, we've got you covered. We'll tell you what you need to know, what your options are, and how to be prepar...

This is probably the thing moms are most curious about as they approach their due date! When do I head into the hospital? When do I call the midwife at the birth center? How will I know it's really time? Whether you are birthing medicated or unmedicated, we have some excellent tips for you to know when it's time to get into the car and head to your birthplace, as well as when it's j...

We know you're wondering exactly what you can expect when you arrive at the hospital during active labor and this episode is going to walk you through the step by step of what happens from the time you drive up to your birthplace until the time you take your sweet baby home in your car. Most importantly we are going to tell you what the usual procedures are as well as your options because it&...

This episode starts with two stories about a birthing mother named "Jessica" and we have a feeling you may relate to her quite a bit, but you'll have to tell us if you're relating more to Jessica's scenario #1 or scenario #2! As mothers, we do the very best that we can in preparing ourselves for this beautiful, sacred experience of birth, and having the very best birth tea...

We know that if you're following along with us there's a good chance you are not planning for a cesarean birth. It may surprise you to learn what the number one reason is that providers list on medical paperwork when performing a cesarean birth. Nothing to fear though! As usual, we are going to give you all the details you need to understand the background to why this occurs, how to keep...

Often when we head to our birthplace we are walking away from all of the things that bring us comfort. What if we told you that there was a way to create more of an at-home experience in whatever setting you're birthing in AND that it will even help your labor to progress more comfortably? Oxytocin and adrenaline have an interesting relationship and when oxytocin is flowing it's generall...

If you ask around, chances are you're going to find some moms who have had an episiotomy and it may leave you wondering if you will need one too. Don't worry! We've got you covered. In case you're wondering what an episiotomy is, it's a cut made with scissors into your perineal area to make more room for baby's grand entrance into the world. There's some debate a...