Pain Free Birth

Karen Welton
  • 4.9 (186)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Weekly

In the Pain Free Birth Podcast, your host, Karen Welton, invites you to discover the truth about how God brilliantly designed the female body for birth. Karen is a certified doula, childbirth educator, and coach who teaches women all around the world how to give birth without pain and fear through her online courses and content.In this show, we geek out about the hormonal physiology of birth, supernatural childbirth, bliss and ecstasy in labor, pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood, and everything in between! Karen interviews women around the world who share their *jaw-dropping* stories of birth at home, in the hospital, and even in the car! She interviews midwives, doctors, and experts in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum to share their unique perspectives. We’ve been taught to view birth as scary and traumatic or an “emergency waiting to happen.” In this show, you will discover a whole new perspective of what’s possible in birth.

  1. 6d ago

    #116 | The Big Baby Myth: Fear, False Estimates & Preventable C-Sections

    What if being told you have a “big baby” creates more fear than the actual size of your baby ever needed to? If you have been told your baby is measuring large, your hips might be too small, or you should consider an induction because of suspected macrosomia, this episode is for you. We are unpacking the fear surrounding big babies and talking about what the evidence actually says about fetal size, late-pregnancy estimates, induction, shoulder dystocia, and cesarean birth. You will also learn why the way your body and baby move during birth matters so much. From the flexibility of the pelvis and molding of your baby’s head to positioning, breathing, pelvic floor relaxation, and upright pushing positions, this conversation will help you look beyond a number on an ultrasound and better understand the physiology of birth. Most importantly, you will walk away with questions you can bring to your provider so you can make informed decisions that feel right for you and your baby.  Tune in to hear:  What macrosomia means and why a suspected big baby can create so much fear  Why late-pregnancy estimates of fetal weight are not the same thing as knowing your baby’s actual birth weight  The primary concern providers have about large babies and shoulder dystocia  Why suspected fetal size can influence the way labor and birth are managed  How fear and doubt can affect tension, relaxation, and the experience of labor  Why your baby’s position may matter enormously during pushing  How your pelvis is designed to move during birth  How your baby’s skull molds as your baby travels through the birth canal  Why relaxing and yielding the pelvic floor is different from forcefully pushing against it  How upright and hands-and-knees positions can give the pelvis more freedom to move  What the Gaskin and McRoberts maneuvers are in the context of shoulder dystocia  Questions to ask your OB or midwife if your baby is suspected to be large  Why learning physiological pushing techniques before labor can change your birth experience  How to replace fear-based decision-making with education, informed consent, and confidence in your options Evidence Based Birth Article: EvidencebasedbirthWhat is the Evidence for Induction or C-section for a Big Baby? CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #116 | The Big Baby Myth: Fear, False Estimates & Preventable C-Sections

  2. Aug 18

    #115 | How Faith Transformed Her Birth: From Pitocin to a Pain-Free 10-Pound Baby

    What if your biggest, most peaceful birth could happen when you stop trying to control the process and learn to trust the way your body was designed to give birth? In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with mom of three Michelle Owsley to share a remarkable journey that began long before she had children of her own. At just 18 years old, Michelle traveled to rural Kenya, where she unexpectedly found herself assisting at more than 50 births. Those experiences planted a seed of trust in physiological birth, but years later, Michelle still had to confront the fear and conditioning surrounding birth when it was her turn to become a mother. Michelle shares the progression from two unmedicated Pitocin inductions to her third birth, where everything changed. After experiencing situational high blood pressure, navigating recommendations for additional growth scans, and working intentionally to guard her mind from fear, Michelle prepared for birth differently. At 41 weeks, she finally released her expectations and surrendered the outcome to God. Hours later, she was in spontaneous labor. Her 10-pound, 1-ounce baby was born in the water, completely pain-free, without coached pushing and without tearing. Tune in to hear:  How attending more than 50 births in rural Kenya shaped Michelle’s view of natural, physiological birth  How Michelle navigated two unmedicated Pitocin inductions before experiencing pain-free birth  What her first birth taught her about the question, “Am I enough?”  How fear and stress dramatically affected Michelle’s blood pressure during her second pregnancy  Why choosing a birth center or midwife does not eliminate the need for informed consent and self-advocacy  How Michelle prepared differently for her third pregnancy by intentionally guarding her mind  Why she declined an additional growth ultrasound and navigated fears surrounding a potentially big baby  How surrendering control at more than 41 weeks transformed the way Michelle approached labor  Why Michelle chose not to forcefully push and allowed the fetal ejection reflex to birth her baby  How she birthed a 10-pound, 1-ounce baby pain-free, without tearing, and experienced her easiest postpartum recoveryBeautiful One Midwifery: Website or @beautifulonemidwifery CONNECT WITH MICHELLE: @michelle_owsley17 CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #115 | How Faith Transformed Her Birth: From Pitocin to a Pain-Free 10-Pound Baby

  3. Aug 11

    #114 | She Slept Through Transition and Gave Birth in the Shower

    What happens when you prepare for birth with everything you have, only to discover that the final lesson is letting go? In this powerful birth testimony, Pain Free Birth doula-in-training Annelisa shares how five weeks of prodromal labor, an almost 42-week pregnancy, and a deeply personal journey of surrender led to an unforgettable birth. After a difficult first hospital birth and a redemptive second birth center experience, Annelisa entered her third birth equipped with a new understanding of physiological birth, her body, and the role fear can play in the birth experience. But nothing unfolded the way she had planned. Her carefully prepared birth room and birth pool were left untouched. Instead, after sleeping through what she believes was transition, Annelisa woke to intense pelvic pressure and realized her baby was coming much faster than anyone expected. With her midwife still on the way, her husband beside her, and a perfectly positioned mirror in the shower, she watched her baby emerge while standing and allowing her body’s fetal ejection reflex to do the work. Tune in to hear: How Annelisa’s first difficult hospital birth influenced the births that followedThe difference birth education made in how she experienced contractionsWhat five weeks of prodromal labor looked like for herWhy being 41 weeks and 6 days challenged her desire for controlThe prayer under the stars that completely shifted her mindsetHow addressing emotional tension helped her feel safe enough to surrenderWhy her contractions progressed without feeling painfulHow cuddling her son helped her relax enough to fall asleep during laborWhy Annelisa believes she may have slept through transitionWhat happened when her husband could not get the birth pool filledThe moment her body entered the fetal ejection reflexHow she watched her baby crown and emerge using a mirror in the showerWhat happened when her baby was born with the cord around her neckHow the experience transformed her husband’s view of physiological birthWhy preparation and surrender are not oppositesWhat this birth taught Annelisa about trusting God, her baby, and her body CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #114 | She Slept Through Transition and Gave Birth in the Shower

  4. Aug 4

    #113 | She Caught Her Own Baby: A First-Time Mom’s Pain-Free Home Birth Story

    What if birth could feel peaceful, natural, and so deeply joyful that you were actually sad when labor ended? In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Abby Neese, an Iowa mom who experienced two pain-free home births. During her first birth, Abby followed her intuition, remained calm when her midwives did not arrive in time, and caught her own baby in the birth tub. Rather than feeling afraid, she trusted the physiological process unfolding within her body. Abby’s second birth was completely different, yet still pain-free. Through intentional breathing, prenatal yoga, hypnobirthing techniques, and a deep trust in God’s design, Abby allowed her body to take over. She experienced the fetal ejection reflex and gave birth without coached or forced pushing. Abby also shares how these births inspired her to become a doula, catch her friend’s baby, and begin pursuing a future calling toward midwifery. Tune in to hear: How Abby’s intuition accurately prepared her for a fast first birthWhy hospital water birth policies led her to consider home birthThe simple explanation of uterine contractions that removed her fearHow positive birth stories and physiological birth education shaped her mindsetWhat Abby did during early and active labor with her first babyHow she remained calm when her midwives did not arrive in timeWhat it felt like to catch her own baby in the birth tubWhy she describes her first birth as peaceful, natural, and pain-freeHow relaxed, physiological pushing affected her postpartum recoveryWhy her second birth felt emotionally intense without being physically painfulHow breathwork and prenatal yoga helped her release tensionWhat the fetal ejection reflex felt like during her second birthWhy Abby believes women should protect their minds from fear-based birth storiesHow her birth experiences inspired her to become a doulaThe incredible story of catching her first baby while serving as a doulaHow Abby’s experiences confirmed her future calling toward midwiferyConnect with Abby Instagram: harvesthopedoula Website: Harvest Hope Doula CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #113 | She Caught Her Own Baby: A First-Time Mom’s Pain-Free Home Birth Story

  5. Jul 28

    #112 | From Birth Trauma to Redemption: Preparing Your Heart and Body for Birth

    What if childbirth was not something you had to fear, endure, or simply survive? In this deeply personal and hope-filled conversation, Karen Welton joins Emily  Smaczniak from the Beyond the Pain Podcast to explore the physiology, mindset, and heart preparation behind an empowered birth. Karen shares how her own journey from fear to mostly pain-free home births led her to become a doula, birth educator, and creator of the Pain-Free Birth course. Together, Karen and Emily discuss pregnancy and birth after stillbirth, the desire for a redemptive birth experience, and how women can prepare for physiological birth even within a hospital setting. They also unpack the fear-tension-pain cycle, the physical effects of gratitude, the importance of releasing hidden fears, and why your internal environment can have a greater impact on labor than your external circumstances. Tune in to hear: How Karen’s fear of childbirth led her to research pain-free and physiological birthWhy birth pain is not always inevitableThe connection between fear, tension, stress hormones, and labor painHow oxytocin and endorphins support the body during childbirthWhat Scripture may actually communicate about pain and sorrow in childbirthWhy birth is not a random event that simply happens to youHow to balance personal responsibility with surrender during laborWhat a redemptive birth can look like after stillbirth or pregnancy lossWhy women cannot always “logic” their way out of fear after traumaHow gratitude can help shift the nervous system during contractionsWhy the internal environment can override a difficult hospital environmentHow to prepare for a natural, physiological birth in a hospitalThe importance of choosing a trauma-informed provider, doula, or midwifeWhy honest communication can help release tension and support labor progressHow practicing discomfort can teach the brain to respond differently to painPractical ways to move from fear and resistance into trust and partnership with your bodyCONNECT WITH EMILY: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-pain-heart-and-home-healing-after-loss/id1779756290 CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #112 | From Birth Trauma to Redemption: Preparing Your Heart and Body for Birth

  6. Jul 21

    #111 | An Unexpected Pain-Free Resort Birth at 42 Weeks

    What happens when your carefully planned home birth turns into an unassisted birth at a family resort? After five years of hoping for a baby, fertility treatments, surgery, and the removal of one fallopian tube, Jessica Richards and her husband were overjoyed to conceive naturally. They prepared for a peaceful home birth with a trusted midwife, but when Jessica reached 42 weeks pregnant, their baby still had not arrived. With her midwife’s approval, the couple decided to join their family for a Christmas trip at a resort two hours from home. A day filled with laughter, water slides, connection, and relaxation soon became the beginning of labor. When Jessica’s contractions intensified and her water broke as they attempted to leave, she and her husband realized they would not make it home. Instead of panicking, they returned to their room, leaned into the physiological process, and welcomed their son in the bathtub with no birth team present. Jessica shares how preparation, prayer, movement, surrender, and trust helped her remain peaceful during an experience she never could have planned. Tune in to hear: Jessica’s journey through infertility, surgery, and naturally conceiving with one fallopian tubeWhy she felt peaceful traveling at 42 weeks pregnantHow relaxation, family connection, and oxytocin may have helped labor beginThe signs that told Jessica’s doula she was close to birthWhy Jessica and her husband chose to return to their resort roomHow water, movement, breathing, music, and low vocalization supported her laborWhat it felt like to experience spontaneous pushing without forcing her bodyThe surreal moment Jessica caught her own baby in the bathtubHow her husband remained calm and supported her throughout the unexpected birthThe role faith and surrender played in Jessica’s mindsetHow Jessica prepared physically with walking, chiropractic care, massage, and pelvic floor therapyWhat happened after the baby and placenta were bornWhy the family stayed at the resort for another nightJessica’s encouragement for women struggling with fear, anxiety, or going past their due dateHow this birth strengthened Jessica’s trust in her maternal instinctsCONNECT WITH JESSICA: @jessicanicolerichards  CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #111 | An Unexpected Pain-Free Resort Birth at 42 Weeks

  7. Jul 14

    #110 | God Redeemed Her Unexpected Pregnancy and Gave Her a Pain-Free Home Birth

    What happens when an unexpected pregnancy disrupts the life you thought you had finally learned to accept? When Amanda discovered she was pregnant with her fifth baby, she did not feel the immediate excitement she had experienced with her previous pregnancies. Instead, she felt shocked, angry, disconnected, and ashamed of her own emotions. For months, she struggled privately while pretending everything was fine. Through prayer, counseling, humility, and surrender, Amanda experienced a powerful change of heart that transformed the pregnancy she had resisted into one of the most redemptive stories of her life. That redemption continued into birth. Although Amanda secretly longed for a home birth, she and her husband planned to deliver at the hospital. But when labor progressed faster than expected, her water broke at ten centimeters while her midwife was already in the house. Amanda remained home, experienced a peaceful rest and be thankful phase, and delivered her baby in the bathtub after only three minutes of pushing. After four hospital births, she describes this unmedicated home water birth as her calmest and least painful birth. Tune in to hear: Amanda’s honest reaction to discovering she was unexpectedly pregnant with her fifth babyWhy she felt ashamed of struggling to accept a pregnancy that others would consider a blessingHow resentment began affecting her marriage and emotional well-beingThe role prayer, therapy, humility, and surrender played in changing her heartHow Amanda intentionally connected with her baby after months of feeling detachedWhy she chose midwifery care after four pregnancies with an obstetricianHow God opened the door for her to work with the Christian midwife she had specifically prayed forWhat prodromal labor felt like after four previously fast and straightforward laborsThe moment Amanda’s water broke at ten centimeters in her living roomWhy her midwife recommended staying home instead of rushing to the hospitalHow the rest and be thankful phase gave Amanda time to prepare for birthWhat made this water birth less painful than her previous hospital and epidural birthsHow breathing, worship music, gratitude, and Christian hypnobirthing supported her laborWhy physiological birth education changed Amanda’s fifth birth experienceHow this unexpected baby became an irreplaceable blessing to the entire familyConnect with Amanda: https://www.instagram.com/amanda_joy_photography/ CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #110 | God Redeemed Her Unexpected Pregnancy and Gave Her a Pain-Free Home Birth

  8. Jul 7

    #109 | Two Sets of Twins, Two Unmedicated Hospital Births, One Incredible Testimony

    Have you ever wondered if a twin birth can truly be peaceful, unmedicated, and even pain free? In this powerful episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Destiny Randolph, a mom of six who has birthed two sets of twins naturally, unmedicated, and in the hospital. Destiny shares the incredible story of conceiving both sets of twins naturally, navigating the mental weight of a “high risk” label, and learning to trust her body, her intuition, her husband, her care team, and the Lord through it all. This conversation is full of practical wisdom for any mama preparing for birth, especially those navigating hospital birth, induction, twin pregnancy, provider pressure, or fear of the unknown. Destiny’s story is a beautiful reminder that your internal environment matters deeply, that advocacy can be peaceful and collaborative, and that birth can be powerful, holy, joyful, and far less painful than you have been led to believe. Tune in to hear: Destiny’s story of conceiving two sets of twins naturallyHow she processed the shock and fear of finding out she was pregnant with twins againWhy twin pregnancy felt mentally and physically harder, but twin birth felt easier than her singleton birthsHow she prayerfully navigated an induction recommendation at 37 weeks and 4 daysWhy she chose Pitocin but declined breaking her water right awayThe role of her husband in advocacy, decision making, and emotional supportHow a supportive nurse helped her trust her body and make decisions with peaceWhy cervical checks can impact labor mindsetThe “open hands” practice that helped her relax through intensityHow worship music, water, closed eyes, and her husband helped her stay focused in the ORWhat happened when Baby A was born in the OR and Baby B came later in the labor roomThe shocking moment Baby B came flying out in her sac while the nurses thought it was “just fluid”Why Destiny believes hospital birth can still be beautiful, spiritual, and empoweringHer encouragement for twin moms, hospital birth moms, and women afraid birth will ruin their bodiesThe deeper lesson Destiny learned about surrender, trust, and letting go of controlCONNECT WITH DESTINY: @Destinyjrandolph  CONNECT WITH KAREN: Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE Submit Your Birth Story Apply to Come on the Podcast Instagram Facebook YouTube Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE. Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain Free Birth. ...

    #109 | Two Sets of Twins, Two Unmedicated Hospital Births, One Incredible Testimony
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4.9
out of 5
186 Ratings

About

In the Pain Free Birth Podcast, your host, Karen Welton, invites you to discover the truth about how God brilliantly designed the female body for birth. Karen is a certified doula, childbirth educator, and coach who teaches women all around the world how to give birth without pain and fear through her online courses and content.In this show, we geek out about the hormonal physiology of birth, supernatural childbirth, bliss and ecstasy in labor, pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood, and everything in between! Karen interviews women around the world who share their *jaw-dropping* stories of birth at home, in the hospital, and even in the car! She interviews midwives, doctors, and experts in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum to share their unique perspectives. We’ve been taught to view birth as scary and traumatic or an “emergency waiting to happen.” In this show, you will discover a whole new perspective of what’s possible in birth.

Information

  • Creator
    Karen Welton
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    119
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pain Free Birth
  • Show Website
    Pain Free Birth

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