The Labor Line

Emily Lau
  • 5.0 (9)
  • PARENTING

The Labor Line is a real, unfiltered birth story podcast hosted by mom-to-be Emily, who was obsessed with birth long before her own was imminent. Every Tuesday, Emily sits down with her mom friends to hear honest, hilarious, and deeply human stories about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum. Whether it’s an emotional conversation about breastfeeding struggles, an epic one-push delivery, or a hilarious “wait, did that nurse just call my baby ugly?” moment, no detail is too raw, real, or ridiculous. This isn’t a clinical breakdown or crunchy birth corner. It’s more like eavesdropping on a late-night call between best friends, complete with laughter, tears, jaw-dropping moments, and sincere conversations about what it actually feels like to be a mom. Perfect for moms, birth nerds, doulas, expecting parents, or anyone curious about the real side of bringing little people into the world. The Labor Line delivers weekly episodes full of heart, humor, and total honesty. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday 🩷 Follow on Instagram: @thelaborline - Keywords: birth stories podcast, real labor stories, pregnancy podcast, postpartum stories, c-section podcast, funny birth podcast, honest motherhood, podcast for moms, women's health podcast, birth podcast hosted by moms

  1. 12/23/2025

    Breech Baby + Positive C-Section | Emma’s Birth Story

    This week, I’m joined by my friend Emma, who prepared for an unmedicated birth that actually didn’t come to fruition because her baby was breech. After trying everything in the Spinning Babies handbook, she decided to pivot and use the very same mental coping techniques that she had learned for her natural birth to prepare for an ultimately positive C-section birth.  She shares beautiful memories of the love she felt the first time she saw her son, the joy of skin-to-skin, and the bonding experiences her little family shared together afterwards. Even with a spinal block headache and a painful start to breastfeeding, she was able to stay grounded in her postpartum experience by remembering that things can be difficult and sweet at the same time, but that with motherhood, it always comes out worth it in the end.  Chapters: 00:00 - Meet Emma 07:59 - Pregnancy: Positive Pregnancy, Natural Labor Prep, & Failed ECV 20:51 - Labor: Leaking Water, Working Through Early Labor, & Peaceful C-Section 29:09 - Postpartum: Skin-to-Skin, Instant Love, & Breastfeeding Challenges 52:02 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    59 min

  2. 12/16/2025

    Broken Pubic Bone + Failed Epidurals | Lauren’s Birth Stories

    This week, I’m joined by my friend Lauren, whose epidural worked a little too well to the point that she broke her pubic bone without even realizing it! In this episode, Lauren walks us through her 3 pitocin & cervidil inductions and 2 failed inductions. She also experienced preeclampsia with all 3 of her pregnancies, but gradually learned how to manage her symptoms and advocate for proper care. Even though there were some bumps along the way, Lauren’s stories have so many beautiful highs, like when she was able to catch her own baby during delivery or when she had a bonding moment with her daughter that reminded her that they were chosen for one another.  This episode is like a breath of fresh air. So if you’re looking for an uplifting conversation about all things motherhood, this one’s for you! Trigger Warning: Mention of infant death (40:25 to 40:39) Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Lauren 00:09:05 - 1st Pregnancy: Conflicting Advice & Late Preeclampsia Diagnosis 00:16:29 - 1st Labor: Powerful Epidrual + Broken Pubic Bone 00:18:33 - 1st Postpartum: Postpartum Anxiety & Emotional Breastfeeding Struggles 00:29:04 - Miscarriage 00:30:52 - 2nd Pregnancy: Processing Pregnancy After Loss 00:35:19 - 2nd Labor: Failed Epidural, Advocating for Herself, & Catching Her Own Baby 00:41:43 - 2nd Postpartum: Residual Empowerment From Birth + Self Compassion in Breastfeeding 00:55:14 - 3rd Pregnancy: Phantom Pregnancies & Managing Preeclampsia 00:59:17 - 3rd Labor: Embracing an Unplanned, Unmedicated Birth 01:02:19 - 3rd Postpartum: Gaining Confidence & Finding Peace in Breastfeeding 01:19:07 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    1h 27m

  3. 12/09/2025

    Severe Preeclampsia + Hyperemesis Gravidarum | Rachel’s Birth Stories

    This week, I’m joined by my sister-friend, Rachel, who is the third and final of my sisters-in-laws to share her story with us! Rachel went through quite the journey to bring her two daughters into the world. Starting with endometriosis-related fertility struggles, followed by hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) and severe preeclampsia that led to one daughter being born at 30 weeks and the other at 33 weeks. We discuss extended NICU stays, the long-term effects of being a micropremie, and how Rachel learned to stand up for her family through it all.  This week’s discussion is a bit heavier, but it is a reminder of the power of a mother’s intuition and the strength that comes when fighting for your children. Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes Trigger Warning: Discussion of miscarriage and traumatic birth throughout Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Rachel 00:19:50 - 1st Pregnancy: PCOS + Clomid, HG, & Bed Rest at 29 Weeks 00:52:33 - 1st Delivery: Preeclampsia & Life Saving Measures 01:01:58 - 1st Postpartum: 2 Month NICU Stay & Learning to be Assertive 01:15:46 - 2nd Pregnancy: Secondary Infertility, Subchorionic Hematoma, & Feeding Tubes 01:32:42 - 2nd Delivery: Failed Stress Tests, Redemptive C-Section, & OR Skin-to-Skin 01:40:12 - 2nd Postpartum: COVID in the NICU & Coping with Postpartum OCD 01:55:42 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    2h 2m

  4. 12/02/2025

    Doula Support + Unmedicated Hospital Birth | Kyla’s Birth Story

    This week I’m joined by my new friend Kyla, who learned how to differentiate between what was in her control and what wasn’t early on in her motherhood journey. This distinction helped her achieve a positive, unmedicated hospital birth with the help of a doula, even through 12 hours of labor, 2 hours of pushing, and an episiotomy!  Kyla truly loved her birth experience and just being a mom overall, so this episode is perfect if you’re looking for some positive motherhood vibes! Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes Trigger Warning: Mention of infant death (01:00:05 to 01:00:30) Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Kyla 00:12:38 - Pregnancy: Delayed Conception & Channeling Energy into Birth Prep 00:23:12 - Labor: Positive Unmedicated Hospital Birth + Doula Assistance 00:59:21 - Postparum: Immediate Adrenaline High, Breastfeeding Woes, & Loving Motherhood 01:08:36 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    1h 20m

  5. 11/25/2025

    Positive Home Births + Overcoming Anxiety | Ashley’s Birth Stories (PART 2)

    This week, we are joined AGAIN by my friend Ashley, who is a mom to six kids! In this episode, we are wrapping up her story by walking through her last three birth experiences. Ashley shares how the precipitous, unmedicated delivery of her third baby (which we ended on last week) brought a lot of anxiety into the medicated delivery of her fourth. She also remarks on how different it felt going back to an epidural birth after having experienced an unmedicated birth. This ultimately influenced her to decide to have unmedicated home births with her fifth and sixth babies! It is amazing to hear how much more empowered and excited Ashley felt with her last two births in contrast with some of her other experiences.  It is seriously special to see how all six of her experiences come together to create a beautiful journey through motherhood. Ashley’s stories are truly a reminder that every birth is unique and transformative! Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:03:15 - 4th Child: Unsolicited Membrane Sweep, Processing Anxiety, & Choosing an Epidural 00:29:25 - 5th Child: Mentally Preparing, Working with a Midwife, + Mostly Unassisted Home Birth 01:04:05 - 6th Child: Overcoming Doubt & 1-Push Home Birth 01:23:38 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    1h 30m

  6. 11/18/2025

    Deja Vu Deliveries + 2 Hour Labor | Ashley’s Birth Stories (PART 1)

    This week I’m joined by my friend Ashley, a mom of six!! In this episode, we walk through her first three birth stories, and next week she’ll be back to share the final three. Ashley’s journey starts with two smooth pregnancies that resulted in almost identical deliveries (seriously—same birth weight and everything!). But her third baby threw her for a loop, from taking longer to conceive to a labor so fast she didn’t even have time to get an IV! Each of Ashley’s experiences builds on the last, and I can’t wait for you to see how all six come together to form such a beautiful, resilient story of motherhood. Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Ashley 00:13:19 - 1st Child: Smooth Pregnancy, 45 Minutes of Pushing, & Weaning From a Nipple Shield 00:38:08 - 2nd Child: Finishing School While Pregnant & Admitted at 8 cm Dilated for a Deja Vu Delivery  00:52:46 - 3rd Child: Slower Conception, Unintentionally Unmedicated, Out in 2 Pushes

    1h 21m

  7. 11/11/2025

    The Nicest Thing Someone Did For You Postpartum

    This week, we’re talking about the stories YOU shared about the nicest things someone did for you postpartum. Y’all gave me all the insider secrets about what your postpartum friends ACTUALLY need. We talk about meal train etiquette, C-section postpartum hacks, and ways dads can help lighten the load.  This episode is packed with ideas and insights that I had never even considered before! Perfect for expectant parents to share with their support team, or for you, like me, who want to do more for your new mom friends, but don’t know where to start!  Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes

    59 min

  8. 11/04/2025

    Medical Miscommunications + NICU Transfer | Katie’s Birth Story

    This week I’m joined by my new friend Katie, whose journey to motherhood has many twists and turns. Her story includes a hurricane that influenced her decision to discontinue her birth control (yes, really), a snafu between two medical offices that resulted in her missing 17 weeks' worth of OBGYN visits, and an unintentionally unmedicated birth after she missed the window of opportunity to get an epidural. Her son spent time in the NICU due to a tight umbilical cord around his neck during delivery, and Katie herself had to be readmitted to the hospital due to postpartum preeclampsia.  Through it all, Katie shares her experience with warmth and humor. Her story is a testament to the emotional and mental strength that you discover when there’s no way out but through.   Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes Chapters: 00:00:00 - Meet Kaite 00:14:02 - Miscarriage 00:17:50 - Pregnancy: Anatomy Scan Scare, Medical Miscommunication, & Increased Monitoring 00:55:08 - Labor: Data-Motivated Progression & Going Unintentionally Unmedicated 01:18:46 - Postpartum: Umbilical Cord Issues, NICU Transfer, & Postpartum Preeclampsia 01:46:10 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

    1h 54m
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5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

The Labor Line is a real, unfiltered birth story podcast hosted by mom-to-be Emily, who was obsessed with birth long before her own was imminent. Every Tuesday, Emily sits down with her mom friends to hear honest, hilarious, and deeply human stories about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum. Whether it’s an emotional conversation about breastfeeding struggles, an epic one-push delivery, or a hilarious “wait, did that nurse just call my baby ugly?” moment, no detail is too raw, real, or ridiculous. This isn’t a clinical breakdown or crunchy birth corner. It’s more like eavesdropping on a late-night call between best friends, complete with laughter, tears, jaw-dropping moments, and sincere conversations about what it actually feels like to be a mom. Perfect for moms, birth nerds, doulas, expecting parents, or anyone curious about the real side of bringing little people into the world. The Labor Line delivers weekly episodes full of heart, humor, and total honesty. 🎧 New episodes every Tuesday 🩷 Follow on Instagram: @thelaborline - Keywords: birth stories podcast, real labor stories, pregnancy podcast, postpartum stories, c-section podcast, funny birth podcast, honest motherhood, podcast for moms, women's health podcast, birth podcast hosted by moms

Information

  • Creator
    Emily Lau
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 Emily Lau
  • Show Website
    The Labor Line