Looking for all the best freebies and downloads?!

Show Notes:

[1:39] Our Reviewer of the Week is s_frye, and she said, "I have listened to this podcast during my first and second pregnancies. The second time around, I also purchased the My Essential Birth course to prepare for a “natural” delivery in a hospital setting and hired a doula. I was more prepared the second time. The podcast is wonderful and is packed full of information. However, I would recommend investing in the birth course as it gives a comprehensive, organized and sequential overview of the L&D process and how to prepare. Thank you, Stephanie and team for your amazing work to support and empower pregnant women!"

[2:38] If you are listening, and you are in your third trimester, this is 100% for you! You're going to want to write down and keep track of these tips for when you are a little bit closer, and they are things that you can certainly start doing right now as well!

[3:15] #1: The Three Free Pregnancy Exercises! They are simple. They are...

Show Notes:

[2:15] Our Reviewer of the Week, kaihanks, says "Forever grateful to the friend who lead me to this podcast AND birth course! Between this podcast, the birth course, and all their resources, I feel educated, empowered, encouraged, and overall excited for this experience in my life!" 

[3:05] This week's topic is the ARRIVE Trial. This ARRIVE (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management) trial is the one that providers are leaning on and using as a reason to induce moms and to tell moms that because of this trial, they are finding that it's actually safer to induce at 39 weeks and that this is an evidence-based practice. During 2020 and this trial, inductions were pushed so much more than I had ever seen it done. 

[6:45] The primary purpose behind the trial was that they wanted to figure out if the elective induction, during the 39th week of pregnancy, would result in a lower death...

Show Notes:

[2:12] Our Reviewer of the Week is CoraTheFloralPreserver, and she says: “I love love love this podcast so much. My husband and I are not trying yet (hopefully soon!), but I stumbled upon this podcast trying to stay awake on a drive one night and I was immediately hooked! Stephanie (& Courtney for those older episodes) does such a good job of giving all sides to any scenario, decision, or piece of advice & truly makes learning about my body & birth so fun & exciting! I know I will end up listening to all the episodes twice— once now & again when we are pregnant!”

Please follow along! Even if you are not pregnant yet, this is the best place or one of my favorite places that you can come and listen and learn and be prepared for even getting ready to be pregnant. So thank you for leaving that review.

I polled you guys a few weeks ago about what topics you want to hear about, and prodromal labor came up several times. Let’s get...

Show Notes:

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, Lexi Nuttman, says, “First time mom . . . feeling EMPOWERED! Hello there, I am a first time mom and about halfway through my pregnancy. Since listening to this podcast (more like binging the podcast), I have learned SO much about what type of birth I want. I am feeling so confident and empowered to start this journey. I loved the podcasts so much I decided to join the birth class . . . loving it so far. Thanks so much for this information and pros and cons of everything!

Update: second time around and STILLLLLL learning new information and binging this podcast! :)

We love that you guys are here to stay and continually doing the work! This is why I do what I do!

[2:13] I hope this week’s topic really resonates with you guys. I’ve said it before, I think the most exciting part of pregnancy (other than finding out you’re pregnant!) is figuring out that you’re in labor!

Most births are not like the movies....

Show Notes:

[1:16] Our reviewer of the week is JumelleT, and she says: “This is the best pregnancy and birth podcast ever! I am just about 25 weeks pregnant and have been SO enjoying your podcast. Every day I try to listen to a new podcast from the past. I've found your content so educational, fun and motivational. Because of listening to you and learning so much, I've been working hard on my birth plan. We are a military family and relocating from California to North Carolina when I will be 30 weeks. Ugh! After a ton of searching, I finally found a provider that I'm excited about - a midwifery in Wilmington, NC. I'm also doing pelvic floor PT as well. To those other mamas who may be moving or considering switching providers in your second trimester or later, this podcast has a ton of related birth stories and tips to help. Just wanted to say thank you for your content - I've been deeply enjoying it and will continue to!”

I love the action of creating a birth plan! We...

Show Notes:

When it comes to labor, we can feel overwhelmed and unsure about what our bodies are doing to prepare for bringing our baby earth-side. I’m going to answer the most common questions about contractions, fluids, and when it’s time to head to your birth place. 

[1:12] It’s been a WHIRLWIND, y’all! We have moved across the country from Utah to Florida this past week! We’re excited for our new home and the potential that this new place holds for us! 

[2:45] This week’s episode was prompted by a question that we received in the private My Essential Birth Facebook group! ( Commercial Break: You can get access to this group by joining the My Essential Birth course!)

[3:05] Our reviewer of the week is Sarah Travaille, and she said, “I started listening to this podcast when I was 8 weeks pregnant (I am now 34 weeks), and it has been my saving grace. The knowledge I have gained from listening has been invaluable. I feel beyond...

We love positive birth stories here at My Essential Birth! This week, I interviewed, Stephanie Garrity, who shared about her birth experience with her rainbow baby. While the birth map she pictured for the birth of her son may not have included many of the things that brought him into her arms, she felt the birth course prepared her for all the options, which allowed her to look back at her experience in a positive light. 

Show Notes:

[1:12] The Review of the Week is from banandjdnsbaish, who says: “My new fave podcast!” She is halfway through her second pregnancy and longing for information to expand her knowledge on what she can do to have a more natural birth, no induction, no Pitocin, etc. This podcast gives her all the details! “I love it!” She recommends to moms who want to be in charge of their birth instead of letting hospitals decide how you birth.

Thank you, Carson! We are so excited for you and your second pregnancy. At My Essential...

Childbirth is a rite of passage and an essential part of the human experience… but it can often be confusing, scary, and sometimes, a little stressful. We all want to induce labor naturally, but most of us don't know how to go about it!

Sit back and relax because today's episode is a guide to inducing childbirth without medical intervention. With a bit of consideration, you can increase the chance of natural childbirth and experience a healthy, happy pregnancy!

Today, I share the different herbs, oils, techniques, exercises, and procedures that you can practice to start your labor naturally, now. These include some more known medicinal oils and herbs like evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf tea, midwife's brew tea, and the lesser known black cohosh. We'll also learn about some techniques like the Webster's chiropractic technique and the miles circuit method. We'll dig into both the positives and negatives of each, so you can rest assured that you choose the...

Are you prepared for the very first step of the postpartum period? This week on the podcast, I talk about the golden hour—that crucial first 60 minutes following your baby’s birth. I’ll be going through why the golden hour is so important, how to get it (if it’s not immediately offered to you during your care), and exactly what you and your partner should be doing during that time. Tune in and enjoy!

Show Notes

1:45 - The golden hour is the first hour after the baby is born. It’s the crucial 60-minute transition that your baby goes through between the womb and the outside world. During this important time, mom and baby need time together, undisturbed, in order for them to bond, familiarize themselves with each other, and start building a connection outside the womb.

3:27 - Look for a hospital with a baby-friendly certification, as these hospitals are guaranteed to offer you this golden hour. But it’s not a deal-breaker even if your hospital...

Do you know what to look for to know it’s labor time?! This week on the podcast, I talk about what those things are but also give you some detail on how they can show up for moms because, let’s be honest, some moms may see certain signs and still wait a week or two before hitting active labor. Tune in and enjoy!

Show Notes

5:11 - Nesting can show up as you get closer to your due date. This is a common sign that labor is approaching across the animal species too! Mom's thought process during this time may causes her to go into organizing mode. There are also some great exercises to help put you in a calm mental state as you get closer to your birth-date.

12:25 - Wondering what a mucous plug is and what it does?! You can find all that info here. I also explain the various looks a mucus plug can have, what to look for and what might be considered not normal and cause for you to see your provider.

21:06 - Your water broke! Hooray! You’re definitely...