Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

• Birth Story at a Military Hospital: Fast, Faith-Filled, and Unmedicated

  This week I'm chatting with Daizjah, who shares her incredible first birth story at a military hospital.From finding out she was pregnant just weeks before her wedding, to preparing with CrossFit up until 34 weeks, mental rehearsals, the role that faith played, and a labor playlist... to the big day—Daizjah takes us through every detail.You're going to love this inspiring, and faith-filled birth story!Here's what you'll learn in this episode:2:04 – Meet Daizjah: Military Veteran and wife to a military husband.3:24 – A Natural Start: How she let her body adjust after getting off the pill (spoiler - it didn't take long 😉) and what she experienced in each trimester9:00 – Military Hospital Reality: Navigating care when you don’t get to pick your provider 11:10 – The Doula Difference: Why hiring a doula transformed her birth experience14:08 – Patience at 40+ Weeks: Staying calm without induction pressure17:19 – Pregnancy Prep Essentials: Exercise, red raspberry leaf tea, chiropractor visits, stretching, and swapping her office chair for a birth ball19:58 – Breathwork & Mental Prep: The one practice she says made all the difference in labor21:27 – Faith in Pregnancy: How faith and a special scripture gave her courage and power from God23:41 – Early Labor & First Contractions: How it all started at 2 AM and the very first thing she noticed29:00 – Labor Progression at Home: Walks, stretches, spicy food, and water labor to encourage contractions...what worked best?!34:00 – Hospital Arrival & Intense Labor: Laboring in the tub, the mucus plug, positioning, and working through contractions37:00 – Pushing & the Birth: How she handled pushing, birthing positions, and witnessing her baby’s birth46:41 – Immediate Postpartum & Skin-to-Skin: Delayed cord-clamping, getting her baby to her chest, and bonding49:00 – Her Best Advice for Moms & Dads: Take a listen, it's so good!!Whether you’re just starting your pregnancy journey or counting down the final weeks, Daizjah’s story is a powerful reminder that preparation, faith, and trusting your body can make all the difference.If you’re ready to feel empowered, confident, and inspired for your own birth, this episode is a must-listen AND the My Essential Birth Course is your next right step!https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted✨ Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show 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 title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: [email protected]. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

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• Pregnancy & Postpartum Nutrition: Myths, Milk Supply & Weight Loss

  Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get exclusive Affirmations BONUSES:featuring a calming Birth Affirmations Audio Track and 25 beautifully crafted, printable Birth Affirmation Cards to keep you grounded, confident, and inspired for birth.Grab it Here: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEverywhere you turn, someone has an opinion about what you should eat during pregnancy, how fast you should bounce back postpartum, or the “magic foods” that will skyrocket your milk supply. But how much of it is actually true?In this week’s episode, I sit down with Brooke Harmer— mama, nutritionist, and postpartum advocate — to answer questions like; Should I eat this? How do I increase my milk supply? How can I lose some of this baby weight? - yep, we cover it all!Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode:3:00 — Meet Brooke & Why She’s So Passionate About This WorkHer story and why nutrition is more than just food for moms.7:05 — Pregnancy Nutrition (Without the Overwhelm)The #1 thing to focus on that keeps it simple and stress-free.10:32 — Eating During Labor?!Why food is fuel — even when you’re in the thick of contractions.17:52 — Epidural Moms, This Is for YouSpoiler: you still need to eat. Here’s why.18:45 — Vaginal vs. Cesarean RecoveryHow birth type changes what your body needs to heal.21:27 — “Colic” Isn’t Real?Why Brooke says colic is the IBS of baby diagnoses.24:22 — If You’re Given Antibiotics Postpartum…The crucial step you can’t skip for your recovery.28:37 — The Myths That Keep Moms From HealingWhy salads and smoothies may not be the best postpartum foods.34:07 — The Truth About Postpartum Weight LossWhere your focus should actually be (and how to get there safely).42:21 — How Birth Experience Affects BreastfeedingWhat no one tells you about birth and milk supply.46:29 — Boosting Milk SupplySimple steps that actually work.49:20 — The #1 Thing Moms Need PostpartumBrooke’s most important advice for every mama.Links we mentioned in the episode:  Brooke's Website: https://www.thewellnourishedmama.comThe Well Nourished Mama Membership: https://www.thewellnourishedmama.com/app The Confident Mama Masterclass: https://thewellnourishedmama.myflodesk.com/the-confident-mama The New Mama Postpartum Recovery Cookbook: https://thewellnourishedmama.myflodesk.com/the-new-mama Just Ingredients (bone broth & probiotic): https://justingredients.us/Needed Probiotics: https://thisisneeded.com/✨ Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show 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 title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: [email protected]. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

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• "BIG" Baby?! The Exact Steps to Take Right Now!

  Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get the exclusive Rise & Birth Pack (My Essential Birth Course PLUS downloadable Birth Affirmations Audio + Affirmation Cards) Grab it here: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedIf you've ever been told you have a suspected "BIG" baby, you know that the stress of hearing that statement can be overwhelming. Talks of extra ultrasounds, monitoring, induction, and even cesarean birth start becoming part of your regular office visits. You want to make the very best, and safest decisions for your baby during this pregnancy and birth, but maybe you're feeling unsure about the information or pushed into interventions you're uncomfortable with. You're in the right place!! In this episode, I walk you through, step-by-step, exactly what having a suspected "BIG" baby means, what all of your options really are, and what you need to do to prepare yourself and your birth partner for a birth you'll love! Never fear mama. Take some nice deep breaths and get to listening. 🎧 Check out the Show Notes Here: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/blog/big-baby-the-exact-steps-to-take-right-now✨ Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show 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 title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: [email protected]. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

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• Birth Story: Unmedicated Birth Story & Baking Sourdough During Labor with Rachel Weaver

  Join the My Essential Birth Course by October 7th and get the exclusive Rise & Birth Pack featuring a calming Birth Affirmations Audio Track and 25 beautifully crafted, printable Birth Affirmation Cards to keep you grounded, confident, and inspired for birth. Learn more: https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedOkay, Mama, this one is tender, faith-filled, and downright empowering. Rachel (mom of two under two in Michigan) brings us into her living room for an unmedicated home birth that was calm, supported, and so her. From a late-pregnancy breech scare to a Spinning Babies breakthrough, from Olive Garden eggplant parm to a labor playlist featuring Maverick City’s “Use To This,” this story sparkles with surrender, community, and a baby girl who absolutely heard her mama’s voice in the womb.Well Cover: 05:40 — Breech at 37 Weeks: Plus a quick framework for handling a late-pregnancy curveball (educate, pray/meditate, assemble team, talk to baby).15:30 — How She Turned Baby Head-Down: A Spinning Babies session,  chiropractic care, belly banding, and talking to her baby. 24:45 — Home Birth Setup That Saved Chaos: Pre-staged tub/hoses, dim lights, hot/warm towels and a husband who went on an ice run. 34:55 — Coping Like Intervals (Active Labor) Treat contractions as 60-second sprints, why low moo-ing works, and when to get in/out of tub.47:20 — When the Water Would Not Break, To A Healthy Baby In Three Pushes: What a bulging bag of waters feels like, getting consent, why AROM sped things up, then three-push delivery and golden hour at home.Before you go, I want to remind you that Rachel didn’t just “luck out” with a calm, empowering home birth. She trained for it. She learned how to advocate when her first birth wasn’t aligned, she knew how to talk with her midwives about breech, and she had practical tools ready for every stage of labor. That kind of confidence doesn’t just happen… It’s built.That’s why I’m always shouting from the rooftops: a birth course changes everything.Birth is one of the most physically intense, emotionally charged, and spiritually transformative events of your life. If you’d prep for a marathon, why wouldn’t you prep for birth?When you join the My Essential Birth Course, you’re literally stacking your tool belt so that when the curveballs come (breech, stalled labor, induction talk, strong emotions, partner nerves), you’ve already practiced your lines, your moves, your mindset. That’s what makes space for the magic: singing your labor song in the tub, laughing between contractions, eating yogurt in your own bed with a brand-new baby on your chest. Learn more and join today >> https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted✨ Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show 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 title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: [email protected]. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

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• Vaccines: What Every Mother Needs to Know

  Get Started with the My Essential Birth Course for only $87! (https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted)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. No options. Just a directive.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. 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.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.Show notes HERE!!Links & ResourcesFollow Alexandra on Instagram: @JustTheInsertsFind Alexandra’s FREE, no email required Course: Make Informed Medical Decisions Join me inside the My Essential Birth Course, where I’ll guide you step by step through the medical options, decisions, and preparations that lead to a birth you feel confident about and truly love.✨ Don’t forget to FOLLOW the show 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 title. Let's Connect!Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstartedEmail: [email protected]. Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

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