Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

My Essential Birth
  • 4.8 (59)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

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 

  1. 14 hrs ago

    The Truth About Gestational Diabetes Testing, Nutrition & Birth with Midwives, Bonnie Baker & Karina Robinson

    Gestational diabetes is one of those topics that every pregnant mama needs to understand way before she ever gets to that 28 week test, whether she thinks it applies to her or not.  And I could not be more excited about who I brought in to talk about it today. Bonnie and Karina are midwives in Davis County Utah and two of my favorite people in the birth world.  I met them early in my birth work journey and I have never stopped being grateful for it. Bonnie has a background in nutrition and has been in birth work since 2014.  Karina has had type one diabetes for over 35 years and lives this every single day. Between the two of them, they know more about gestational diabetes than most providers you will ever sit across from. I have actually told Bonnie that if I ever get pregnant again, I am either flying her out to me or heading to Utah, because these are the women I want in my corner. 💛 This conversation is practical, surprising, and one of the most helpful episodes I have recorded on pregnancy nutrition and testing.  I learned things I was not expecting to learn. And I think you will too. Here are some highlights from the episode: What gestational diabetes actually is, and the perfect way to describe what happens between the placenta and pancreas during pregnancyThe difference between type one, type two, and gestational diabetes, and the PCOS connection, most providers are not makingThe testing methods Bonnie and Karina actually trust and why eating jelly beans, pancakes, or a banana before your test is giving you a wildly inaccurate pictureWhat the nutrition protocol actually looks like when someone tests positive, and why every single mama who has been compliant with their plan has had a wonderful outcomeThe real truth about carbs and gestational diabetes that most people are getting completely wrongSomething about the health of dads and the placenta that genuinely stopped me mid-conversation 👀The signs and symptoms most mamas do not know to look for and why gestational diabetes unfortunately does not always announce itselfThe risk factors list that is longer than most people realize and why very few women can actually say none of these apply to meWhat managed versus unmanaged gestational diabetes means for your birth optionsThe postpartum screening that is in all the literature and almost nobody is doingThe simplest thing you can do after every meal that has a real measurable effect on your blood sugarConnect with Bonnie & Karina:  📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daviscountymidwives/   📍 Birth Center: Bountiful, Utah https://daviscountymidwives.com/ 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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    42 min

  2. Jun 17

    Tongue Ties, Breastfeeding & Baby Development: Everything You Need to Know with Michelle Emanuel

    Is your baby fussy, clicking while nursing, struggling with tummy time, or just not quite seeming like themselves, and nobody can give you a straight answer about why? In this episode, I sit down with Michelle Emanuel, pediatric occupational therapist, board-certified lactation consultant, and one of the leading experts in tongue tie and oral function, and we take a deep dive into all things tongue-tie. Because tongue tie is not just about nursing pain or a string under the tongue.  It is connected to how your baby breathes, how they move their body, why they are gassy and fussy, why they hate tummy time, and if it goes undetected, to speech challenges, crowded teeth, sleep issues, and emotional dysregulation years down the road....like, what?! But it's true! I have been in the birth world for 14 years and I walked away from this conversation looking at things completely differently.  In fact I went and looked inside all of my teenagers' mouths when we finished recording and I am not even a little bit embarrassed about it. 😂  I know you are going to love Michelle as much as I do. ❤️  Here are some highlights from the episode: What a tongue tie actually is and why it is so much more than a string under the tongueSigns before your baby is even born that could indicate a tongue tieThe breastfeeding signs most mamas miss that are actually connected to tongue tieWhy a baby who is gaining well and nursing okay is not always in the clearWho should actually be checking for tongue tie and why going straight to a release provider is not always the right first stepWhat a release actually is and what is really happening during the procedureThe difference between a mildly, moderately, and significantly impacted tongue tieHow the tongue functions as a breathing organ and what that means for your baby's airway developmentWhat those little squeaking snorting congested sounds might actually be telling youWhat happens when tongue tie does not get caught early and the signs that show up in older kidsThe one thing Michelle wants every parent to take away and start doing with their baby todayConnect with Michelle:  📱 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonguetiebabies/ ▶️ YouTube: Michelle Emanuel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MichelleE110/videos 🌐 Website: tummytimemethod.com 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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    44 min

  3. Jun 10

    Birth Story: A Birth Center Water Birth & Letting Her Body Lead w/Kyla & Gabe

    After giving birth at 28 weeks with her first baby, Kyla knew that this pregnancy was going to look different.  She was intentional about every decision: her providers, her preparation, her birth space, and her mindset going in. And when the time came, all of that work showed up in the most beautiful and amazing way.  Kyla woke up one morning at 39 weeks with a belly that looked completely different.  Contractions started mid-morning and she basically ignored them for most of the day. By 9pm she and Gabe were loading up the car for a two hour drive to their birth center in the middle of the night.  She arrived six centimeters dilated and completely effaced. And just before 3am their baby girl was born in a birth tub with so much hair. 🥹 I absolutely loved this conversation. Kyla and Gabe are one of those couples who just make you feel good the moment they start talking — he kept her laughing through most of labor, she described every contraction as a blessing, and then there were the gorilla noises during pushing that she is still not fully at peace with. 😂 I just know you are going to love them as much as I do.  Here are some highlights from the episode: What a cerclage is, why Kyla needed one, and what is was like to have it removed — which didn't go as plannedThe specific jobs she gave Gabe before labor started, including the one thing she made him promise never to do in the birth room 😆 The best description of the difference between Braxton Hicks and real contractions you will ever hearWhat her contractions felt like during active labor and the affirmations that carried her through...and why they were so different from her first birthThe two hour drive to the birth center in the middle of the night and the hot water bottle tip every mama with a far away birth center needs to hearGabe's honest account of being the birth partner and the moment he realized his presence was doing more than he thoughtKyla and Gabe's best advice for moms and dads, including the one thing Gabe says to every dad he knows who is about to become a father 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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    52 min

  4. Jun 3

    Can You Say No to Your Doctor During Pregnancy?

    You leave your prenatal appointment and get in your car. And something just feels off. You are confused. Unsettled.  Maybe a little worried about your body or your baby. And you spend the whole drive home trying to figure out what just happened in there and what you are supposed to do about it. In this episode, I am walking you through exactly what to do when something does not feel right with your provider. Whether it is an induction conversation that caught you completely off guard, a big baby warning that sent you straight to Google, or a provider you are just not sure about anymore.  And I am being really honest in this one, too, because I have nodded and smiled my way out of appointments that did not feel right, gotten in my car, and completely lost it. I was a doula. I knew better. And I still did it. 😅 Oh, and this one is only about 15 minutes. No excuse not to listen before your next appointment. 😊 Here are some highlights from the episode: Why most mamas leave their prenatal appointments confused rather than angry, and why that is actually the harder place to beThe most common scenarios that catch pregnant mamas completely off guard — from induction conversations to big baby warnings to ultrasound readings that send you into full panic modeThe questions that get you the information you actually need, without being confrontational or difficultThe most common reaction mamas have in these moments and why nodding and smiling and leaving feeling terrible is something so many of us have doneWhat to do when you ask all the questions and you still disagree, three options that can genuinely solve thingsWhat you are really looking for in a provider is a partnership, how to know if you have it and what to do if you do notWhy one disagreement does not necessarily mean you need a new provider, and when it doesHow setting up the right birth team early means you can walk into labor focused and calm instead of dreading what is comingDon'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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    19 min

  5. May 27

    Before You Say Yes In Labor, Ask These Three Questions

    What would you do if you were deep in labor and someone walked in and said it was time to talk about Pitocin, breaking your water, or maybe even a cesarean? I am you through the exact moment that catches most mamas completely off guard in the birth room (myself included, and I share about it), and the three questions that can slow everything down, get you the information you actually need, and help you make decisions from a place of confidence instead of fear. With my first baby, I was told we needed an emergency cesarean. And even in that moment of urgency, I wish I had known what I am sharing in this episode. That there is almost always time to ask questions. That a recommendation is not a requirement. That I had more say than I realized. This is the episode I wish every pregnant mama could hear before she ever walks into the birth room. It is not about being difficult or argumentative, it is about knowing how to gather information and make the best decision for you and your baby no matter what comes up during labor. I promise this will be an episode you will want to save and jot notes down from. Share it with your birth partner and listen together if you can! Here are some highlights from the episode: Why the toughest moment in labor is often not the intensity of the contractions and how to be ready for itThe one thing you can do when a recommendation comes up that immediately gives you more controlThe thoughts that run through every mama's mind when a big decision lands mid-labor and why you are not aloneQuestion #1 to ask your provider the moment a recommendation comes up, and what the answer tells youQuestion #2 that opens up a conversation most providers are not going to have with you unless you askQuestion #3 that turns a blanket recommendation into something specific to you and your situationWhy making decisions from confidence instead of fear has a real physiological effect on your laborHow to make sure your birth partner knows all three questions before you go into laborDon'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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    18 min

  6. May 20

    Eating for Your Cycle, Gut Health & Fertility with Nora DeBora

    What if understanding your menstrual cycle could completely change the way you prepare for pregnancy and transform how you feel in your body every single month? I sat down with Nora DeBora, functional fertility coach, holistic nutritionist, fertility awareness practitioner, and host of the Ultimate Pregnancy Prep Podcast, to talk about everything from eating for your cycle and seed cycling to gut health, hormone testing, and the fertility information most conventional providers are simply not sharing with their patients.  Whether you are trying to conceive, currently pregnant, or just want to understand your hormones better, this conversation is one I know you are going to come back to again and again. I honestly took mental notes the entire time we were recording this one...and wrote some down when I got to listen again! 😉  Nora has this incredible way of making really complex information feel totally doable and accessible, and she is so passionate about helping women become truly body literate so they can advocate for themselves, support their fertility, and feel their best no matter where they are in their journey.  I just know you are going to love her as much as I do. Grab a notebook for this one, you are going to want it!  Here are some highlights from the episode: What your menstrual cycle is actually telling you about your health and how to read the signsThe four phases of the cycle, what your hormones are doing in each one, and what symptoms are normal versus red flagsHow to eat for the follicular and luteal phases to support your estrogen, progesterone, and egg healthSeed cycling. What it is, how to do it, and why Nora says it is one of the simplest places to startThe three tests Nora runs first with every fertility client, and what they find that conventional medicine missesThe gut health and hormone connection that could be the missing piece for so many womenWhat biofilm is and why antibiotics alone often cannot clear a chronic infection like recurring UTIs or BVFour practical things every woman can do right now if she is thinking about getting pregnantSafe doses of CoQ10 and NAC and why Nora takes them herself even when she is not trying to conceive 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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    52 min

  7. May 13

    Birth Story: Pitocin Induction, 24 Hours of Unmedicated Labor & a 9lb 12oz Baby — Mary Richardson's Story

    Birth doesn't always go the way you planned, but preparation never goes to waste. In this encouraging birth story, My Essential Birth Mama Mary Richardson shares her journey from planning a home birth to an unexpected hospital transfer, a Pitocin induction she never saw coming, and over 24 hours of unmedicated labor that pushed her further than she ever thought she could go. From the daily prep she did throughout pregnancy, to the moment everything shifted at 41 weeks and three days, to delivering a 9lb 12oz baby boy, I just know you are going to love Mary and everything she shares in this episode. ❤️  What I love most about Mary's story is not just what happened, it's how she handled it.  She is honest about the hard parts, gracious about the things she would do differently, and so genuinely encouraging to every mama who is doing all the things and wondering if it will matter when birth surprises her. It absolutely does.  This episode is proof of that. I promise you do not want to miss this one, in fact, save it and come back to it as you get closer to your birth! Here are some highlights from the episode: How Mary navigated... nausea, sciatica, white coat syndrome, and a GBS positive result throughout her pregnancyThe provider switch she made at 20 weeks and why finding the right support changed everything for herThe daily habits and preparation that carried her through 24+ hours of unmedicated laborWhat happened at her 41 week ultrasound and how she and her husband navigated the decision to transferWhat unmedicated labor through a Pitocin induction actually felt like — and the coping strategies that helped mostThe moment during transition in the bathtub that she says was one of her favoritesHer third degree tear recovery and the holistic healing tips that actually made a differenceHer honest breastfeeding journey from those first hours to four months inHer most powerful advice for both moms and dads going into 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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    48 min

  8. May 6

    Tylenol, Vaccines & Autism: What Every Pregnant Mom Needs to Know with Dr. Ari Calhoun

    Is Tylenol really safe during pregnancy? Does it cause Autism? What about vaccines? And are you getting the nutrients your baby's brain actually needs? What if the most important health decisions you make during pregnancy are the ones nobody told you to think about? In this incredible & informational episode, I sit down with Dr. Ari Calhoun, naturopathic doctor, mama of two, and founder of Wholesome Brain Medicine. We're diving into the hot topics moms are actively Googling but rarely getting straight answers on: the Tylenol and autism connection, vaccines during pregnancy, and the specific nutrients that shape your baby's developing brain from the very beginning. Dr. Ari has a gift for giving you the real information without the fear spiral, and I think you're going to walk away from this episode feeling informed, empowered (and a little relieved!). Here's some highlights from the episode: The Tylenol and autism connection — what the current research actually shows and why some babies may be more vulnerable than othersHow to think through pregnancy vaccines (Tdap, RSV, and flu) individually instead of treating it as a simple yes or no decisionThe prenatal nutrients most providers aren't talking about, and why the form matters just as much as the doseWhy your microbiome during pregnancy could shape your child's long-term health in ways that might surprise youThe golden window around birth that most moms don't know exists and how to protect itSSRIs, antibiotics, and birth plans through the lens of neurodevelopmentHow to hold risk and peace at the same time, and make confident decisions even when there's no perfect answer If you've ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting advice, dismissed by a provider, or just wanted someone to talk to you like an informed adult, this is that episode.  Dr. Ari reminds us that you don't have to know everything to do right by your baby.  You just have to care enough to ask the questions. And if you're listening to this? You already do.  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” podcastSelect “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" podcastClick 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 titlesLet'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!

    1h 7m
See All (355)

4.8
out of 5
59 Ratings

About

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 

Information

  • Creator
    My Essential Birth
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    355
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy
  • Show Website
    Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

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