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Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

Author: My Essential Birth

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Birth is amazing, beautiful, wonderful . . . and it can throw you for a loop! Despite our very best birth “plans,” we can find ourselves taking some twist and turns during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum that we don’t expect. Enter the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast! 

Hey mama! My name is Stephanie, and I’m a mom of three boys, and two girls, a professional doula, childbirth educator, and the creator of the Online Birth Course - My Essential Birth www.myessentialbirth.com. 

I love to help mothers just like you feel empowered and confident during pregnancy, birth, and into motherhood by taking my years of knowledge and personal/professional experience in the birth world and breaking down complex birth topics to make preparing for labor & birth a breeze! 

Every week, you’ll hear from myself & other women ready to share their knowledge with other pregnant moms about pregnancy and birth topics that will have you feeling knowledgeable and in the driver’s seat of your best birth experience. 

Your best birth starts here >>>> www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted 

326 Episodes
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BLACK FRIDAY IS HERE: GRAB MY ESSENTIAL BIRTH FOR ONLY $197!! “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...
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 p...
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:...
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 position...
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 su...
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! ------- 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, flexib...
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 ...
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: 2:04 – Meet Daizjah: Military Veteran and wife ...
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 m...
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...
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 t...
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 powerhous...
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 no...
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 remin...
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 “crunch...
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 s...
"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—i...
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 ...
If you’ve ever been told that your exclusively breastfed baby has to take vitamin D drops, you’re not alone. But maybe, like me, you paused and thought, “Wait… why?” In this episode, I’m walking you through the real reason behind the recommendation, what the research says, how sunlight plays a big role, and what your options are when it comes to supporting your baby’s health. Plus, I share a personal reflection that had me tearing up—because motherhood is beautiful, messy, and fleeting. Let’s...
What do you get when you mix Irish twins, a surprise pregnancy, and a determined mama ready for her first home birth? A fast, powerful, and totally redemptive third birth story! 🙌 In this episode, Maren takes us through the highs, the stalls, and the five-minute pushing stage that made her say: “I’m never going back to the hospital.” She shares the mental prep that kept her grounded, how her husband and mom tag-teamed support, and why letting her body lead was the best decision she could’ve m...
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Comments (4)

Annie Hall

one more thing worth noting about VAERS: ANYONE can make a report and they don't have to provide proof. So not all of the reports are factual. Some are left by trolls (people trying to be funny or who like to stir the pot), some are left by people with political agendas (anti-vaxxers, etc.), and some are left by conspiracy theorists and hypochondriacs. You can look at specific reports and many of them are obviously false.

May 26th
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Tiffany Lauderdale

I really enjoyed this podcast. I have nursed all 5 and will soon be nursing #6. have used LLL and a consultant several times and I still learned alot from Sally! Thank you!!

Jun 5th
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Natalie Bryson

Hpatitis B is not just sexually transmitted. Also, the reason the hep B vaccine is given so early is because it provides the best lifetime protection when given early.

Jun 5th
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Tiffany Lauderdale

My husband encapsulates my placenta. and I have done a belly only cast, and I have cloth diapered in the past!

Jun 1st
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