Built To Birth Podcast

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 29), the conversation explores Bethany's journey through her first challenging birth experience and the healing process that followed, leading to a redemptive second birth.

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This conversation highlights the emotional and physical challenges she faced, her feelings of grief and disappointment, and her eventual decision to seek therapy for support. The conversation explores the journey of healing and empowerment for mothers after traumatic birth experiences, emphasizing the importance of therapy, support, and reframing negative thoughts. It highlights the transition from anxiety and fear to a more positive outlook on future pregnancies and births, showcasing the significance of choosing supportive care environments.

I'm pregnant with baby #4! 🤍 In this solo episode (Ep 28) of the Built To Birth Podcast, I'm sharing my first trimester pregnancy update—the good, the hard, and everything in between.

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🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

From morning sickness and exhaustion to navigating all the physical and emotional changes that come with early pregnancy, I'm taking you behind the scenes of what these first 12 weeks have really looked like for me.

Even as a childbirth educator, holistic health coach, and mom of three, every pregnancy brings something new. I'm sharing how this pregnancy has compared to my previous ones, what's helped me navigate first trimester symptoms, and how I've been preparing physically and mentally for another birth.

Whether you're newly pregnant, struggling through your first trimester, or just following along with my pregnancy journey, I hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone in the ups and downs of pregnancy.

Thanks for being here and following along as we prepare to welcome baby #4!

🤍 Bridget

On this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 27), Sadie dreamed of having a natural, unmedicated hospital birth, but her doctor repeatedly questioned her decision and pushed for an induction. Sadie shares her first-time mom birth story, how she prepared for labor, navigated unexpected challenges, and stayed confident in her body's ability to give birth. Hear how this transformative experience inspired her to become a birth doula and help other women prepare for empowered births.

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✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcastsadie

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep. 26), Dana shares her journey through five very different births—from an unexpected C-section to two successful VBACs, culminating in the empowering, unmedicated hospital birth she had always hoped for.

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🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

The conversation covers topics such as motherhood, pregnancy perspectives, childbirth education, challenges, empowerment, and VBAC experiences. It delves into the importance of gratitude for motherhood after experiencing loss and the significance of provider alignment and autonomy in childbirth. The conversation covers the experience of spontaneous labor, managing labor discomfort with magnesium, the importance of birth plan and advocacy for birthing preferences, the role of faith and prayer in labor, and the unique experiences during the transition phase of labor. The conversation delves into the experience of labor and birth, emphasizing the importance of listening to the body, communication, and support. It highlights the unique aspects of each birth experience and the significance of autonomy and preparation in the birthing process.

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 25), Anna shares her hands-off, unmedicated positive hospital birth story at 42 weeks.

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✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 25), Anna shares her personal experiences with pregnancy and childbirth, focusing on her first and second births. The discussion highlights the challenges and triumphs of navigating pregnancy, labor, and the emotional journey of becoming a mother. Anna shares her experiences of unmedicated births, detailing her mindset and preparations for both her first and second pregnancies. The discussion highlights the emotional and spiritual aspects of labor, the importance of support, and the empowerment that comes from making informed choices during childbirth. The conversation explores the journey of childbirth, emphasizing the importance of understanding labor stages, trusting the timing of birth, and the empowerment that comes from informed choices. Anna shares her personal experiences with both of her births, highlighting the significance of support, patience, and self-advocacy during labor.

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✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

In this episode (#24) of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah went into her first pregnancy believing birth would probably look like what she had always seen—rushing to the hospital, getting an epidural, and hoping everything went okay.

But as she learned more about natural birth, everything began to change.

After feeling dismissed in her original care, Hannah and her husband decided to step outside what everyone around them had done and switch to a birth center. That decision came with plenty of opinions—including people telling her that because of her size and the possibility of a big baby, she wouldn't be able to give birth naturally and would need a C-section.

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah shares how she went from fearing birth to trusting her body, preparing for an unmedicated birth, going past her due date, and ultimately having an empowering natural water birth at a birth center. She talks about what helped her through contractions, how water completely changed her labor, what it felt like when her body began pushing on its own, and the moment she reached down and felt her baby's head.

And perhaps the best part? Moments after her daughter was born, Hannah looked at her husband and said, “I want to do this again.”

If you're preparing for birth—whether you're planning a hospital birth, birth center birth, or home birth—I hope Hannah's story reminds you how powerful it can be to educate yourself, build a team you trust, and make the decisions that feel right for your family.

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✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast

✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast, Anna went into her second birth hoping for another empowering, unmedicated experience—but this birth would require her to surrender almost everything she had envisioned.

After arriving at the hospital at 5 cm, Anna found out the birthing suites were completely full. She labored in triage, needed continuous monitoring and IV fluids, and kept questioning whether she was really progressing… until her body suddenly began pushing on its own.

Then her midwife told her, “I saw his head.”

In this episode, Anna shares her incredibly fast and unexpected unmedicated birth, including how she prepared physically and mentally during pregnancy, the fears she had to work through, what spontaneous pushing actually felt like, and how her baby was born after just two intentional pushes.

More than anything, Anna’s story is about trust and surrender—preparing for the birth you want while learning to release the parts you simply cannot control.

If you're preparing for a natural or unmedicated birth, this episode is an encouraging reminder that birth doesn’t have to go exactly according to plan to still be beautiful, positive, and empowering.

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✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast

✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

This episode of the Built To Birth Podcast is a deep dive into the challenges of conception and the journey of seeking alternative care. The holistic approach to health and the empowerment gained through knowledge are key takeaways from the conversation. The conversation covers Marilyn's fertility journey, PCOS/PMOS, empowered decision-making, and the preparation for birth. It also delves into the realistic expectations for birth and the support received during the process. The conversation delves into the journey of home birth, highlighting the challenges, decisions, and experiences involved. It emphasizes the importance of support, empowerment, and informed decision-making throughout the labor process. The role of midwives, the significance of rest, and the unique experiences of labor and pushing are explored, culminating in the final stages of labor and the birth of the baby. The conversation delves into the themes of surrender and stewardship, highlighting the importance of embracing the things we cannot control while taking responsibility for what we can. It also emphasizes the impact of supportive care teams in the journey of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, showcasing the value of having a team of trusted individuals to provide care and guidance.

Takeaways

• Holistic approach to health
• Empowerment through knowledge
• Empowered decision-making in fertility journey
• Authority in birth space
• Realistic expectations for birth
• Support and preparation for birth
• Home birth experiences and the unique challenges and decisions involved
• The importance of support and empowerment during labor Surrender and Stewardship
• The Power of Supportive Care Teams

In this incredible natural birth story on the Built To Birth Podcast, first-time mom Alisha shares how she unexpectedly went into labor while hours away from her midwives—and ultimately gave birth to her breech baby on the side of the road next to a river.

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🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

📹 Watch Alicia's Birth Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUbOutQIVS4

After her water broke, labor progressed quickly. What started as a drive back toward her birth team turned into the realization that they weren't going to make it. Alisha and her husband pulled off the highway, found a place near a river, and prepared to meet their baby without their midwives physically there.

Then came another surprise: their baby was breech.

Alisha shares what it was like to realize her baby was coming butt-first, how she stayed calm and trusted her body through an unexpected breech birth, and how her husband and midwife supported her as everything unfolded.

We also talk about how Alisha prepared during pregnancy, the mindset and coping techniques she used during labor, and how that preparation helped her surrender when her birth looked nothing like what she had planned.

This is an unforgettable story about natural childbirth, unmedicated birth, breech birth, precipitous labor, free birth, trusting your body, and navigating the unexpected during birth.

If you're pregnant, preparing for a natural birth, or simply love hearing empowering and positive birth stories, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

In this Built To Birth Podcast episode: natural birth story, breech birth, unmedicated birth, first-time mom birth story, free birth, unexpected birth, childbirth preparation, birth mindset, precipitous labor, natural childbirth, and positive birth stories.

What happens when a first-time mom arrives at the hospital 5 centimeters dilated—and everyone thinks she still has hours to go? In this positive birth story, Kat shares how she prepared for an unmedicated natural birth, stayed calm through labor, advocated for the birth she wanted, and then progressed much faster than anyone expected.

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🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

Kat began pregnancy feeling fearful about what pregnancy and childbirth might be like. But as she learned more about labor and delivery, natural childbirth, birth preparation, and the mental side of giving birth, that fear began turning into excitement and confidence. She and her husband prepared together using Built To Birth, learning not only what to expect during labor but how he could support her, advocate for her wishes, and remain a calm presence throughout birth.

Once admitted, Kat was 5 centimeters dilated with contractions less than two minutes apart. As a first-time mom, everyone expected she still had a while to go—but her body had other plans.

In this episode, Bridget and Kat talk about natural birth, unmedicated labor, positive hospital birth, birth preparation, cervical dilation, pushing, birth partners, advocating for yourself during labor, overcoming fear of childbirth, and trusting your body during birth.

Kat’s story is an encouraging reminder that birth doesn't always follow a predictable timeline—and that education, preparation, support, and confidence can make a meaningful difference in how you experience it.

In this episode:

• Preparing for an unmedicated natural birth
• Overcoming fear of childbirth through education
• Early labor as a first-time mom
• Laboring at home before going to the hospital
• Laboring in the hospital parking lot
• Arriving at 5 cm dilated
• Why cervical dilation doesn't predict when your baby will arrive
• Having a supportive birth partner
• Advocating for your birth preferences in the hospital
• Being offered an epidural during an unmedicated birth
• Going from 5 cm to 10 cm much faster than expected
• Being told not to push while waiting for the doctor
• Pushing and experiencing a second-degree tear
• Kat's positive hospital birth experience
• Why she's already excited to give birth again

Follow the Built To Birth Podcast for more positive birth stories, natural birth stories, pregnancy education, childbirth preparation, labor and delivery experiences, postpartum conversations, and empowering stories from real moms.

What if you’re terrified of giving birth but desperately want a positive, empowering birth experience?

In this episode of the Built to Birth Podcast, Bridget sits down with Annaliese to share her journey through pregnancy, miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, fear of childbirth, and two empowering, positive natural birth experiences.

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✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

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🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

Before becoming a mom, Annaliese was afraid of pregnancy and birth. After an unexpected pregnancy ended in miscarriage, becoming pregnant again brought both excitement and anxiety. She began intentionally preparing for birth through education, positive birth stories, breathing techniques, and learning how to trust her body.

That preparation ultimately led to an unmedicated birth center birth with her first baby—and an experience that completely changed the way she viewed childbirth.

During her next pregnancy, however, a new fear emerged: an overwhelming anxiety that something would happen to her baby during birth. Annaliese shares how she navigated those fears through prayer, positive affirmations, birth education, and intentionally filling her mind with encouraging birth stories.

Her second labor then unfolded incredibly quickly, leading to a fast water birth at a birth center and an intense first few moments after her baby was born.

Annaliese and Bridget talk honestly about pregnancy anxiety, pregnancy after miscarriage, overcoming fear of birth, natural childbirth, unmedicated labor, water birth, birth center birth, breathing techniques for labor, doulas, midwifery care, partner support, and preparing mentally for childbirth.

If you’re pregnant and feeling scared or overwhelmed by birth, Annaliese’s story is a beautiful reminder of how much can change when fear is met with education, preparation, support, and trust.

In this episode:

• Overcoming fear of pregnancy and childbirth
• Pregnancy after miscarriage and navigating anxiety
• Preparing for a positive birth experience
• Breathing techniques for labor
• Annaliese’s first unmedicated birth center birth
• Giving birth in an upright position
• Preparing for a second natural birth
• Her incredibly fast second labor
• Her birth center water birth
• When her baby needed help immediately after birth
• How her midwives responded
• The role of a doula and supportive husband
• Why positive birth stories can matter during pregnancy
• Using birth education to replace fear with confidence

Childhood friends reconnect to share a positive birth story. Bethanie's journey from pregnancy to labor and delivery is filled with challenges and triumphs, highlighting the importance of preparation, support, and endurance. Bethanie shares her challenging yet empowering birth story, from a long labor to delivering her doctor's biggest vaginal delivery ever. Her experience highlights the mental and physical strength required for childbirth, as well as the importance of support and preparation.

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✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast

✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

Takeaways

• Childhood friends reconnect after years, sharing a powerful birth story.
• Preparation, support, and endurance play a crucial role in the journey from pregnancy to labor and delivery. Mental and physical preparation are crucial for childbirth.
• Support from a partner and healthcare provider is essential during labor.
• The experience of childbirth, though challenging, is incredibly empowering and worth it.

In this episode of the Built to Birth Podcast, we’re sitting down to talk through Ashley's birth story—from preparing for birth and choosing the right birth team to navigating an unexpected preeclampsia diagnosis and induction.

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✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast

✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast

🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/

🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register

We talk about what it looked like to make decisions when birth didn’t go exactly as planned, how important it was to feel informed and supported along the way, and why having a birth team you truly trust can make such a difference.

We also get into some of the really special moments from her birth—the photos and videos she has to look back on, her baby being born in the amniotic sac, and what her recovery and postpartum experience looked like afterward.

More than anything, this conversation is such a good reminder that preparing for birth isn’t about trying to control exactly how your birth unfolds. It’s about understanding your options, learning to trust your body, surrounding yourself with people you trust, and feeling confident making decisions along the way.

If you’re pregnant and preparing for birth—or you just love hearing real, honest birth stories—I hope this episode leaves you feeling encouraged and empowered.

• How family experiences can shape the way we think about pregnancy and birth
• Why preparing for birth matters, even when things don’t go according to plan
• Choosing a birth team you feel safe with and trust
• Navigating high blood pressure, preeclampsia and induction
• Making informed decisions and advocating for yourself during labor
• The importance of autonomy during birth
• Learning to trust and believe in your body
• How education and preparation can help you feel more confident and empowered
• Recovery and the postpartum experience

Chapters

• 00:00 Family and Pregnancy
• 03:03 Preparing for Birth
• 12:03 Choosing the Right Team
• 20:52 Dealing with Pre-Eclampsia
• 22:25 Preeclampsia Diagnosis and Induction
• 26:13 Labor and Delivery Experience
• 29:09 Informed Decision-Making and Advocacy
• 42:43 The Birth Experience
• 43:30 The Impact of Pictures and Videos
• 43:58 The Significance of the Sack of Water
• 45:08 The Importance of Autonomy in Birth
• 53:19 Recovery and Postpartum Experience
• 58:57 Support and Encouragement for Moms