Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

This first aired in March 2023 and became one of my most downloaded birth stories. Once you hear Jo's "ask forgiveness, not permission" approach, you'll understand exactly why. 

Jo Gibson is an army wife. Her closest family lives nine hours away. Her insurance meant she had to give birth in a hospital, with a rotating team of midwives she'd never met before — and no real option to switch providers.
On paper, that's a tough setup for the unmedicated birth she wanted. But Jo did something I love. Instead of asking permission, she decided to ask forgiveness. 😏
She stopped asking her providers "can I do this?" and started telling them "this is what I'm doing." She flipped the whole dynamic...and it worked. She showed up to the hospital already eight centimeters, laboring in the ER while nurses tried to hand her a wheelchair, and had her baby boy completely unmedicated. Her husband did counter pressure for so many hours his arms were sore the next day (as they should be if you're doing it right...little tip for dads 😉).
Her birth story is so encouraging, especially if you're a military mama, or any mama who feels stuck with a provider or a hospital and wonders if she can still have the birth she wants. And Jo doesn't just share the wins. She talked about the parts she'd do differently too, which makes this one even more valuable. 
Here are some highlights from the episode:
What it's really like to prepare for birth as a military mom - far from family, with limited provider choices
The "ask forgiveness, not permission" approach that changed everything for Jo
How she handled a midwife who told her "most moms don't do that because birth is painful" (and what she did next)
The genius way she flipped the script with her providers...you'll LOVE this part
How her knowledge from the course actually earned her provider's buy-in and trust
Why counter pressure was hands down the most helpful thing she and her husband did
The birth affirmation cards she made herself — and the difference they made in real-time during her birth (they are seriously SO powerful mamas!!)
Her fast, intense labor at home, and why she trusted her gut to head in before hitting 3-1-1
Walking into the ER already eight centimeters with a bulging bag
The shift change that changed the course of her pushing stage...and what she'd do differently next time
Her reflection on tearing, hemorrhage, and immediate postpartum
Her best advice for moms and dads, including a postpartum tip every partner should hear
Just a reminder — this episode is for information and education, not medical advice. Always work with a provider you trust for your pregnancy and birth. 
Links Mentioned:
 🔗 My Essential Birth Course: myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
 🔗 3 Free Exercises: myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
 📱 Instagram: @myessentialbirth
Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast!
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Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! 
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FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier!
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On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page.
On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles
Let's Connect!

Three exercises to help prepare you for your BEST birth: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: hello@myessentialbirth.com. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

🗝️ From The Vault: I first shared this one about a year ago. I still get comments on it and I think it may be one of my most favorite conversations about true consent - no matter the topic! I guess it helps that this one is a hot topic 😜 but it still stands!!

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. 
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 about how to cut through fear, confusion, and the "this is just what we do" culture in medicine. 

Alexandra's journey began as a new mom overwhelmed by conflicting voices — and what she uncovered (the actual government-issued manufacturer inserts for pharmaceuticals and vaccines) became the foundation of her mission: helping parents make truly informed decisions with confidence, not coercion.
I want to be really clear about something before you listen — this conversation is not about being "for" or "against" anything. 

It's about equipping yourself with facts, frameworks, and questions so you can walk into your provider's office as the CEO of your health and your child's, not a passive spectator. 

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, dismissed, or scared you'll "get it wrong," you're not alone and I know you will love this episode. Alexandra's practical, non-alarmist approach is exactly what so many of us wish we had when we first became moms. 
Here are some highlights from the episode:
[06:45] The moment Alexandra realized "just trust the system" wasn't enough — and why she started digging into inserts
[12:10] How invisible nudges (like "this is what good moms do") shape our medical choices more than we realize
[18:22] The difference between medical advice and medical coercion, and how to recognize the line
[26:05] Why provider efficiency models often leave informed consent out of the room — and what to do about it
[33:40] Exactly where to find official pharmaceutical inserts and how to read them without spiraling
[41:55] The surprising section of inserts that parents should always check first
[48:20] How to collaborate with your provider using both their expertise and your intuition — because mother's intuition is data
[52:15] Alexandra's encouragement for moms who feel stuck between "trust the experts" and "go down the internet rabbit hole"
Links & Resources:
 📱 Follow Alexandra on Instagram: @JustTheInserts
 🎓 Alexandra's FREE, no email required course — Make Informed Medical Decisions: justtheinserts.com/training-course
 🔗 Join me inside the My Essential Birth Course: myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast!
Leave a Review! ⭐️ Here's how >> 
On Apple Podcasts
Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast
Select “Ratings and Reviews”
Click the stars!
Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! 
On Spotify
Find "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" podcast
Click the 3 dots "..."
Select "Rate podcast"
Click the stars and write a quick review!
FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier!
Here’s how to do it in just 2 seconds:
On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page.
On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles
Let's Connect!

Three exercises to help prepare you for your BEST birth: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: hello@myessentialbirth.com. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

🗝️ From The Vault!
Every so often there is an episode I just cannot let sit in the archives, and this is one of them. 
It first aired in April 2022, and it is such a good one to bring back — because here is what I keep noticing: inductions are getting offered more and more, for more and more reasons.
Which is exactly why I tell every mom to understand what it would be like if an induction could happen, even if the goal is to not have one. That way, if it comes up, you are ready instead of scrambling.
So in this episode we get into what an induction actually is, the reasons one might land on the table (the truly necessary ones and the... not so much), all things Pitocin and why those contractions feel like their own beast, and the one thing that matters most when it comes to preparing. 

And if you end up wanting an epidural or leaning on another tool along the way, that is completely okay, but this episode will prep for how to do it unmedicated! None of this is about doing birth perfectly. It is about walking in informed and staying part of every decision. 
Here are some highlights from the episode:
[6:15] What a medical induction actually is and what every mom should know about working through labor with pitocin, unmedicated (if that's the goal)!
[7:25] The different induction methods explained simply: Pitocin, breaking your water, Cervidil, Cytotec, Foley bulb, and the Cook's catheter (and why I don't love Pitocin plus breaking your water alone)
[10:48] The real reasons a mom might need an induction, and the ones that aren't so medically necessary
[12:36] So many moms end up with an epidural during an induction — and why the number one reason why
[16:00] All things Pitocin: how it's given, why those contractions feel SO different, and the mental game that comes with it
[22:04] The single most important thing you can do to prepare for an induction
[22:31] What a Bishop score is and how it predicts whether your induction will go smoothly
[24:51] Supplements to prepare your body 
[26:56] The physical and mental prep that makes the biggest difference
[40:55] The difference between doing hard things and suffering, and why that line matters so much
Links Mentioned:
🔗 My Essential Birth Course: myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
🔗 3 Free Exercises: myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
🔗 Dr. Christopher's Birth Prep Tinctures: https://amzn.to/3qzwqSC
🔗 Evening Primrose Oil: https://amzn.to/3qzwqSC
🔗 Red Raspberry Leaf Tea: https://www.amazon.com/Yogi-Womens-Raspberry-Leaf-Tea/dp/B00H3SXWIY/

Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast!
Leave a Review! ⭐️ Here's how >> 
On Apple Podcasts
Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast
Select “Ratings and Reviews”
Click the stars!
Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! 
On Spotify
Find "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" podcast
Click the 3 dots "..."
Select "Rate podcast"
Click the stars and write a quick review!
FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier!
Here’s how to do it in just 2 seconds:
On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page.
On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles
Let's Connect!

Three exercises to help prepare you for your BEST birth: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: hello@myessentialbirth.com. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

I first aired this one back in July 2023 and it became one of the most downloaded episodes I have ever put out. 

Prodromal labor is one of those topics almost nobody talks about, until you are the one lying awake at 2am wondering if THIS is finally it. 

So I pulled it out of the vault and dusted it off, because if you are anywhere near the end of your pregnancy, you are going to want this one in your back pocket. ❤️
Can we talk about the most emotionally confusing part of late pregnancy for a second? 😅
You start having contractions. Real ones... the kind that get longer and stronger and closer together. Your heart starts racing. 

THIS IS IT. You text everyone. You maybe even head in. And then it fizzles out. 

Nothing. False alarm. And a couple days later it happens all over again.
That is prodromal labor. 

And it is not in your head, it is not you doing something wrong, and you are absolutely not being dramatic. 

It is real, it is exhausting, and in this episode I am walking you through exactly what it is, why it happens, and how to survive it — mentally AND physically — without losing your mind in the process. 

I polled you guys a few weeks back on the topics you wanted to hear about, and this one came up over and over. So here it is. 💛
Here are some highlights from the episode:
What prodromal labor actually is — and how it is different from real labor contractions and Braxton Hicks
The different ways it can show up, and why it tends to start around 36 to 37 weeks
The surprising role your baby's position plays — and what you can do to help
The positional tricks, exercises, and chiropractic care that can calm things down
The mindset shift that helps you see prodromal labor completely differently
Why you are not to blame — and the everyday things like dehydration and heat that can trigger contractions
The head-to-toe check I want every mama to do when prodromal labor shows up
The good news nobody mentions — why every single one of these contractions is actually working for you
How I personally reframed prodromal labor into the best practice run I could have asked for
The very real mental and emotional exhaustion of it — and permission to feel all of it
How common it actually is, and whether having it once means you will have it again
The difference between prodromal labor and active labor (a listener question)
How to truly take care of yourself while you are in the thick of it
Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast!
Leave a Review! ⭐️ Here's how >> 
On Apple Podcasts
Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast
Select “Ratings and Reviews”
Click the stars!
Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! 
On Spotify
Find "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" podcast
Click the 3 dots "..."
Select "Rate podcast"
Click the stars and write a quick review!
FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier!
Here’s how to do it in just 2 seconds:
On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page.
On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles
Let's Connect!

Three exercises to help prepare you for your BEST birth: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: hello@myessentialbirth.com. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

This episode first aired back in August 2023 and it went on to become one of the most downloaded birth stories I have ever put out. 

So I'm bringing it back! Whether this is your first time hearing Jamie's story or you are coming back around again, I think you are going to love it. ❤️
Jamie Peterson always knew she wanted to at least TRY for an unmedicated birth. She gathered all the information she could, took the My Essential Birth course with her husband, saw a Webster certified chiropractor, walked and squatted and drank her red raspberry leaf tea, and hired a doula to help bridge the communication gap with her husband when she was deep in labor.
And then birth did what birth does... it went completely off script. 😅
Jamie went in for a routine appointment at 39 weeks and 5 days. 

Her provider offered a membrane sweep, mentioned it could break her water but she doubted it would, and the moment she went for it, Jamie's water was everywhere. 

From there things moved FAST. She got to the hospital around 5:30, kept telling the nurses she was fine and settling in, requested a bath at what she thought was early labor, and got checked to find out she was already at a nine. Her first baby was born at 7:10pm. Water broke at 4:10. Baby in her arms three hours later. 

As a FIRST time mom. 👀
This is one of those birth stories that will change what you think is possible, especially if you are a first time mama who has been told to brace for a 24 hour labor. 

Jamie is funny, humble, and so honest about the preparation she did and how much of it mattered. I know you are going to love her as much as I do. ❤️
Here are some highlights from the episode:
[2:36] Meet Jamie — living in Minnesota with her husband Erik and her daughter Noa who just turned one in March. She is honest right out of the gate that she hated being pregnant, and we get into allll of it. 😂

[4:45] The glucose test scare — what happened when she failed the one-hour test "miserably," and the twist that came with the three-hour. 👀

[6:38] Choosing a hospital birth with a low intervention team — and the one tradeoff that came with it.

[8:18] How she "tested" her providers on their induction protocol — and why their answer told her she was exactly where she needed to be. 💪

[8:18] The quote that stopped me in my tracks — it took her husband nine months to learn how to support her, and nine months for her to learn how to be supported by him. 😅

[10:54] Everything she did to prepare — the birth course on the ball every night, Webster chiropractic care from 12 weeks, acupuncture, walking, squats, red raspberry leaf tea, and the affirmations she loved. This is the part that made all the difference. 💪

[10:54] Why she hired a doula — and whether her birth went anything like she pictured. 😅

[18:13] Her birth — the membrane sweep that did NOT go as expected, the "just get settled in" moment that turned into something else entirely, and a labor that left every nurse in the room stunned. 👀

[18:13] Pushing as a first-time mom — the mindset shift that had her thinking "well, that wasn't so bad, I can do it again." 💪

[28:40] How she coped through contractions — the one position that was the only thing that helped.

[30:19] Postpartum — immediate skin to skin, delayed cord clamping, and Erik's sweet "I thought we were supposed to wait" moment. ❤️

[31:24] Jamie's best advice for moms and dads — including a reminder you are going to want to hold onto long after birth. 💛
Don't forget to RATE & FOLLOW the Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy Podcast!
Leave a Review! ⭐️ Here's how >> 
On Apple Podcasts
Find “Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy” podcast
Select “Ratings and Reviews”
Click the stars!
Select “Write a Review” and tell us what was the most amazing, comforting, eye-opening thing that you loved! 
On Spotify
Find "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" podcast
Click the 3 dots "..."
Select "Rate podcast"
Click the stars and write a quick review!
FOLLOW "Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy" so you never miss an episode that makes pregnancy & birth feel easier!
Here’s how to do it in just 2 seconds:
On Apple Podcasts → Tap the “+” Follow button in the top right corner of the show page.
On Spotify → Tap the “Follow” button right under the show titles
Let's Connect!

Three exercises to help prepare you for your BEST birth: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/3-exercises
Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: hello@myessentialbirth.com. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!