Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

What if the most powerful voice in your birth room isn't the doctor's — it's your husband's?
In this episode, I sit down with Catalina Clark, a licensed home birth midwife in Sonoma, California, who has spent 11 years at the crossroads of spiritual midwifery, birth sovereignty, and the sacred side of birth that nobody in the hospital is talking about. From the father's role in the birth room to why Pitocin may be affecting us on a cultural level, we talk about it all — and I think you're going to want to listen to it more than once.
I loved every minute of this conversation with Catalina. She has this incredible way of meeting you exactly where you are — whether you're planning a hospital birth, a home birth, or you're not even sure yet — and reminding you that you have far more power than you've been told. This is the kind of episode that makes you think differently, breathe a little deeper, and trust yourself a whole lot more.
Here's some highlights from the episode:
What spiritual midwifery actually means and why it matters for every birth, in every setting
The 3 pillars of authentic midwifery: authenticity, transparency, and integrity
Why the father's voice may be the most powerful one in the birth room — and exactly what to say
What birth sovereignty really means (hint: it has nothing to do with where you give birth)
How to balance your intuition with medical advice when both are pulling at you
The surprising history of midwifery and why most of us have never heard of it
What Pitocin is doing to the brain — and possibly to our culture at large
How to bring intention, ritual, and sacredness into your birth space
Why birth is not designed to be as painful as we've been told
The one thing Catalina wants every single mama to know: "What if this is not a problem?"
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” podcast
Select “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" podcast
Click 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 titles
Let's Connect!

Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: [email protected].
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

Over the years, birth has slowly shifted from a natural, woman-centered experience to something much more medicalized — and most pregnant moms have no idea why.
In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on how modern maternity care evolved, why so many women are left feeling like their bodies are broken (or are told something along those lines), and what you can do right now to walk into birth feeling confident, informed, and supported.
Because the truth is… your body isn’t broken.
When you understand how birth actually works — and how the system around birth operates — everything begins to look different. You can start to trust your body again, ask better questions, and make decisions that truly support the birth experience you want.
I absolutely loved recording this episode because it gives moms the bigger picture that most of us were never taught. Understanding the history and structure of maternity care can completely change the way you prepare for birth — and help you walk into labor feeling calm, confident, and empowered.
This is an episode every I hope every pregnant mom has a chance to hear before she gives birth.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
• How birth slowly shifted from a normal life event to a highly medicalized experience
 • The rise of interventions like inductions, Cesarean birth, and routine procedures in modern birth
 • Why helpful medical tools sometimes become routine practices — even when they aren’t always necessary
 • What research actually says about home birth vs hospital birth for low-risk pregnancies
 • Why your birth environment plays a huge role in how your body labors
 • What the pandemic revealed about birth choices and maternity care systems
 • The hidden limitations of many hospital birth classes
 • The epidural conversation many moms aren’t prepared for before labor begins
 • Why informed consent matters and the options many women don’t realize they have during birth
 • The foundational pieces that help women feel confident and empowered heading into labor
 • Postpartum decisions most moms never realize they’ll be making before birth
Tune in to learn how understanding the system around birth can help you take back ownership of your experience, trust your body, and prepare for the empowered birth you deserve.
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” podcast
Select “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" podcast
Click 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 titles
Let's Connect!

Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: [email protected].
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

What does it look like when a pelvic floor physical therapist uses everything she knows — plus the My Essential Birth course — to prepare for her own unmedicated birth? It looks like THIS episode.
Haley Sampson is a labor of love kind of mama. She stayed active, did her prep work, went to 41 weeks and 3 days, had her water break, and pushed her baby out using tools, visualization, and a birth partner who truly showed up. Whether you're curious about pelvic floor prep, what unmedicated contractions actually feel like, or how to push effectively — Haley gives us every amazing detail.
In this episode you'll learn:
What a pelvic floor PT actually did every day to prepare her body for birth — including perineal stretching, meditation, strength training, wall sits with affirmations, and more
When to see a pelvic floor therapist during pregnancy and what "push prep" sessions actually look like
How her husband prepared as her birth partner — studying the course, practicing techniques, and becoming her advocate in the room
What unmedicated contractions feel like, where she felt them, and exactly how she breathed and worked through each one
The pushing positions, open glottis vocalizing, mirror use, and visualization that helped her bring her daughter earthside
How the My Essential Birth course tools showed up not just in prep — but in the thick of active labor and pushing
Her best advice for mamas and birth partners on advocating for yourself and building a birth plan that actually serves you
Birth is hard work — but you were made for this. Tune in and let Haley remind you just how capable you really are.
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” podcast
Select “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" podcast
Click 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 titles
Let's Connect!

Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: [email protected].
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

Is everything we’ve been told about fat… wrong?
In this episode, I sit down with Reproductive Endocrinologist & Fertility Specialist, Dr. Robert Kiltz, founder of CNY Fertility, to talk about infertility, gestational diabetes, insulin resistance, and the controversial idea that eating more fat — not less — may be the key to healing.
Dr. Kiltz shares his personal health journey, how he began questioning conventional nutrition advice, and what he started noticing in his fertility practice when patients shifted toward paleo, keto, and even carnivore-style eating. We discuss rising infertility rates, pregnancy nutrition myths, blood sugar balance, liver health, inflammation, and why so many women today are being diagnosed with gestational diabetes.
This episode will absolutely challenge the standard pregnancy nutrition narrative you've been receiving — and invite you to think more critically about what truly supports fertility and metabolic health.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
 • Dr. Kiltz’s unexpected journey from troubled teen to fertility specialist
 • Why infertility rates continue to rise — and what might actually be driving it
 • The connection between insulin, liver health, and gestational diabetes
 • How quickly hormones and blood sugar can begin to shift with dietary changes
 • Protein vs. fat — are we emphasizing the wrong one?
 • Whether you can really “eat too much” fat
 • The role inflammation may play in reproductive struggles
 • Why reproductive health reflects overall metabolic health
 • How mindset, faith, and stress impact healing and fertility
Whether you agree with everything shared or not, this conversation will help you ask better questions about what you’re eating before and during pregnancy — and what truly nourishes your body while growing a baby.
If you’re trying to conceive, navigating gestational diabetes, or simply wanting to optimize your health for pregnancy, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Tune in, decide for yourself, and let me know what you think!!
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” podcast
Select “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" podcast
Click 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 titles
Let's Connect!

Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: [email protected].
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!

If you're aiming for a VBAC this pregnancy, this one is for you mama!
I had a wonderful conversation with My Essential Birth Mama, Sarah. She shares how she navigated pregnancy, labor, and birth with confidence — even when things didn’t go exactly as planned. We discuss everything from preparing her mindset during pregnancy to advocating during labor and embracing the beauty of her baby’s arrival. This episode is full of encouragement for any mama preparing for birth...and especially for my VBAC mamas!
Here are some highlights from the episode:
• How Sarah prepared mentally and physically for birth during pregnancy
 • The mindset shifts that helped her release fear and build confidence
 • What early labor felt like and how she knew things were progressing
 • The tools she used to manage contractions naturally
 • How preparation helped her advocate for herself in the hospital
 • What it looked like to pivot peacefully when birth didn’t unfold exactly as expected
 • The emotional moment she met her baby
 • Her honest postpartum reflections and what she wants every pregnant mom to know
Birth may not always go exactly according to plan — but it can still be powerful, peaceful, and empowering. I hope this story reminds you that your body was designed for this, and with the right preparation, you can walk into your birth feeling strong and ready. 💛
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” podcast
Select “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" podcast
Click 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 titles
Let's Connect!

Join the Course! https://www.myessentialbirth.com/getstarted
Email: [email protected]. 
Follow @myessentialbirth on INSTAGRAM!