Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

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 partner who truly showed up. Whether you're curious about pelvic floor prep, what unmedicated contractions actually feel like, or how to push effectively — Haley gives us every amazin...

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 questioning conventional nutrition advice, and what he started noticing in his fertility practice when patients shifted toward paleo, keto, and even carnivore-style eating. We discuss rising infertility rates, pregnancy nutrition myths, blood sugar balance, liver he...

 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 arrival. This episode is full of encouragement for any mama preparing for birth...and especially for my VBAC mamas!

Here are some highlights from the episode:

• How Sarah pre...

"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 about what modern neuroscience says about pregnancy, birth, infant sleep, and the first three years of life. We talk about how your emotional ex...

“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 the 1940s all the way to today. Some are funny. Some are outdated. And some are still quietly shaping how women experience p...

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 navigate pregnancy when you can’t workout, how she chose the right midwife, and how she learned to make intuitive decisions in labor — including whether or not...

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, and lab tests, we break down the root causes behind morning sickness and share strategies that actually help you feel better.

I loved recording this episode because so many moms feel helples...

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 full of practical guidance, real-life examples, and mindset shifts that can make a big difference — even before your baby arrives.

I loved diving into this topic, walking through wh...

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 met her baby just 15 minutes after arriving. From navigating induction conversations with her provider to trusting her body and preparation, Morgan’s story full of wisdom for every pregnant mom.

I absol...

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 preparation—both mental and physical—completely changed her birth experience.

Rebekah’s story is one so many moms will recognize: doing the research, asking the hard questions, and learning to listen to your body and...

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, maybe something’s happening” to baby in arms in less than about 10 contractions 🤯.

I absolutely loved sitting down with Ashley and Bryan to walk through this birth story together. They talk openly...

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 third-trimester pain, mental health struggles, intentional birth prep as a couple, and the powerful role prayer played when their birth took an unexpected turn. This episode is packed with encouragement for moms prepa...

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 doing this right now,” to the incredible birth that follows, I know you're going to love this birth story as much as I do!!

I abso...

“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 healing. It normalizes the feelings so many mothers carry silently: the love, the overwhelm, the resentment, the doubt, and the deep devotion that all exist at t...

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 mindset you’ve ever heard.

If you’re craving real-life encouragement, home birth inspiration, mental preparation tips, and reassurance that your body...

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 own mental health...yep that matters and we talk about why in this episode!

Some Highlights!!

1:23 – Louise’s inspiration
Her personal jou...

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 people don’t tell you about getting ready for labor — from birth myths and epidurals to baby positioning, mindset, and practical...

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, I’m joined by Jordyn Gorman of Eat, Play, Say — a pediatric therapist and mama who helps parents support their baby’s growth holi...

Join the My Essential Birth Course by November 4th and get TWO exclusive BONUSES: The Belly Mapping Guide & Partner Belly Binding Video Tutorial. It's everything you need to help your baby be in the perfect position for birth AND to support your belly postpartum!

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One day she sneezed... and everything shifted. 😳 When Lisette’s water broke before 36 weeks, her home birth plans changed in an instant — but her confidence didn’t. What followed was a powerful story of faith, flexibility, and teamwork that shows how beautiful births can happen any...

Your gut isn’t just about digestion — it’s shaping your baby’s health from the very first bite!

In this episode, we uncover the surprising ways your gut impacts baby’s immune system, brain development, and even lifelong wellness.

From what to eat each trimester, to testing negative for Group B Strep, to preparing your body for birth and postpartum recovery — we’re covering the gut secrets every pregnant mom needs to know. 

Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

1:01 – Your gut = your baby’s gut!
How every...

This week I'm chatting with Daizjah, who shares her incredible first birth story at a military hospital.

From finding out she was pregnant just weeks before her wedding, to preparing with CrossFit up until 34 weeks, mental rehearsals, the role that faith played, and a labor playlist... to the big day—Daizjah takes us through every detail.

You're going to love this inspiring, and faith-filled birth story!

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get exclusive Affirmations BONUSES:
featuring a calming Birth Affirmations Audio Track and 25 beautifully crafted, printable Birth Affirmation Cards to keep you grounded, confident, and inspired for birth.

Grab it Here: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted

Everywhere you turn, someone has an opinion about what you should eat during pregnancy, how fast you should bounce back postpartum, or the “magic foods” that will skyrocket your milk supply. But how much of it is actually true?

In this week...

Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get the exclusive Rise & Birth Pack (My Essential Birth Course PLUS downloadable Birth Affirmations Audio + Affirmation Cards) Grab it here: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted

If you've ever been told you have a suspected "BIG" baby, you know that the stress of hearing that statement can be overwhelming. Talks of extra ultrasounds, monitoring, induction, and even cesarean birth start becoming part of your regular office visits. You want to make the very best, and safest decisions for your baby during this pregnancy and...

Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get the exclusive Rise & Birth Pack featuring a calming Birth Affirmations Audio Track and 25 beautifully crafted, printable Birth Affirmation Cards to keep you grounded, confident, and inspired for birth. Learn more: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted

Okay, Mama, this one is tender, faith-filled, and downright empowering. Rachel (mom of two under two in Michigan) brings us into her living room for an unmedicated home birth that was calm, supported, and so her. 

From a late-pregnancy breech scare to a Spinning Babies breakthrough, from O...

Get Started with the My Essential Birth Course for only $87! (https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted)

You’ve probably had this moment: you’re sitting in a provider’s office, pregnant belly in front of you, when someone says, “This is what you’ll get at your next appointment.” No conversation. No options. Just a directive.

If your stomach has ever dropped in that moment, wondering: “Do I even get a say here?” This episode is for you, mama.

I sat down with Alexandra Galaska, the powerhouse behind Just the Inserts, to talk...

Get Started with the My Essential Birth Course for only $87! (https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted)

The first six weeks of pregnancy can feel like the longest waiting game of your life. Heck, those two weeks after you have sex may as well be a year!! Even once you’ve got the positive test, and your body is already shifting, that first prenatal appointment still doesn’t happen for weeks. Cue: late-night Googling, second-guessing every cramp or craving, and wondering what’s actually normal.

In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain...

Four years of infertility.
Two failed IUIs.
A spot on the IVF waitlist.

And then… six months after shifting her food and lifestyle with PrimalBod (use code MEB100 for $100 off if you want to try it!), Dominique’s story took a turn she’ll never forget: two pink lines in an Airbnb, before a wedding, shoving the test in her husband’s face while he was still scrolling his phone. (ICONIC.)

This conversation is part raw honesty, part “wait, why didn’t anyone tell me this sooner?”, and fully a reminder that your body...

What happens when your due date collides with a snowstorm in Georgia?

When I first connected with Abby, I knew her birth story was going to be special, but GAH!! It’s so good and I just know it’s going to inspire every mama listening. As a first-time mom, she navigated early bloody show, a surprise snowstorm, and nearly three days of labor with an amazing, calm, grounded intuition that’s absolutely contagious.

From the nausea that knocked her off her feet in the first trimester to the “crunchy-meets-medical” compromise she and her husband made for a...

No one told me that postpartum recovery isn’t just about “getting back to normal.” It’s about rebuilding from the inside out, pelvic floor, core, energy, mindset, and that what you do (and don’t do) in those early days matters more than you think.

That’s why I brought Dr. Jessica London, pelvic floor therapist and mama’s best friend in recovery, on the podcast to walk you through exactly what’s happening in your body and how to move forward, without overdoing it. (And she was kind enough to share her Core Recovery Guide with our communi...

"You probably shouldn’t learn how to swim when you're drowning." That one hit me hard—and it’s exactly why this episode exists.

Whether you’re a first-time mama, or you’ve had a difficult breastfeeding journey before, this conversation is going to leave you feeling empowered, educated, and supported. I sat down with Jamie Zaki, an IBCLC, doula, nurse, and mom of five (yes, five!), to talk about how to prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives.

Jamie shares her real, raw postpartum story—including giving up her nursing school seat due to lack of p...

From trauma to triumph — Samantha and Matt’s birth story is a powerful reminder that healing is possible. After a terrifying first birth that left them both shaken, they came into baby #2’s birth with education, preparation, and a whole lot of heart. With gestational diabetes, high-risk care, and past trauma stacked against her, Samantha shares how she found her strength, leaned on her partner, and birthed her baby in just over 6 hours, naturally, confidently, and joyfully. This episode is a must-listen for anyone wondering if a redemptive birth is really possible (spoiler: it is 💪).

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