Girly Pop Birth Talks

Season 2, Episode 3: Choosing Adoption: A Birth Story of Courage & Self-Compassion 

This week on Girly Pop Birth Talks, Becca and Arielle are sitting down with Kaitlyn Gillespie for an incredibly vulnerable, courageous, and heartfelt conversation about pregnancy, birth, adoption, and learning to extend yourself the same love and compassion you so freely give to others. 

At just 35 weeks pregnant, Kaitlyn's birth story took an unexpected turn when she was diagnosed with preeclampsia and needed an early induction.

But Kaitlyn's journey into motherhood looked different from many of the stories we typically share.

In this episode, Kaitlyn opens up about her experience choosing adoption for her daughter, navigating an unexpected birth, and the deeply personal emotions and decisions that come with a journey like hers.

We're making space for a conversation that deserves so much more love, understanding, and compassion in the birth world. A conversation about self-compassion, courage, autonomy, and the strength it takes to make decisions that are deeply personal, even when they may be difficult for others to understand.

Because sometimes courage doesn't look like having all the answers. Sometimes it looks like giving yourself grace in the unknown, trusting yourself through difficult decisions, and recognizing that your story is worthy of love and respect exactly as it is.

We hope this episode reminds every woman listening that you are allowed to hold complicated emotions, you are allowed to give yourself grace, and you deserve compassion through every chapter of your story.

🎀 In this episode, we're talking about:

• Being diagnosed with preeclampsia at 35 weeks
• Navigating an unexpected induction and premature birth
• Kaitlyn's personal journey with choosing adoption
• Finding courage through uncertainty and difficult decisions
• The importance of autonomy, informed choices, and compassionate maternity care
• Self-compassion, healing, and giving yourself grace
• Honoring the many different experiences of motherhood

Whether you're a mama, birth worker, adoptive parent, birth parent, or simply someone who believes women deserve to feel heard, respected, and supported, we're so grateful you're here.

Our hope is that conversations like these remind us that there is no single way to experience motherhood, no perfect way to navigate life's hardest decisions, and absolutely no reason any woman should have to walk through them without compassion.

Kaitlyn, thank you for trusting us with your story and for having the courage to share a part of your life that so many women may experience but so few feel comfortable talking about. We are honored to hold space for you. 💗

🎧 Grab your headphones, get cozy, and join us for another episode of Girly Pop Birth Talks!

💕 Hosted by Becca & Arielle

🌸 Subscribe to our YouTube channel @girlypopbirthtalks

💌 Follow along for more birth stories, honest conversations, and all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.

#GirlyPopBirthTalks #BirthStory #Preeclampsia #InductionBirth #AdoptionStory #BirthMother #SelfCompassion #MaternalHealth #BirthPodcast #PregnancyPodcast #EmpoweredBirth

From childhood besties growing up on the same street to becoming moms, doulas, and business partners! 

In today's episode of Girly Pop Birth Talks, we're sitting down with Shelby and Hailey, the women behind Sorelle Birth Co.

We're diving into their FIVE combined birth stories, the beautiful, messy, unexpected, and transformative moments of motherhood, and how their personal birth experiences eventually led them into the world of birth work.

We chat about their lifelong friendship, the journey from childhood playdates to building a doula business together, and what it's like to turn a shared passion into a profession.

Five birth stories. Two lifelong besties. One beautiful full-circle moment.

Grab your girly pop drink, get cozy, and join us for another episode filled with birth stories, motherhood, friendship, and a whole lot of girl talk!

Follow along:

• Girly Pop Birth Talks
• Sorelle Birth Co.
• Rebecca Rose Doula Services

SEASON TWO, WE’RE BACK!!! 🎙️💗✨

For our very first episode of Season 2, Arielle and Becca are sitting down in a brand-new location with a brand-new set, and truly it feels like such a breath of fresh air. We are OBSESSED with our new little GPBT home and so excited for everything this season is going to bring.

We’re kicking things off with 26-year-old first-time mama Kylie Callahan and her hilarious, long, testing, emotional birth story.

After weeks of prodromal labor, multiple trips to L&D wondering, “Is this actually it?!”, Kylie’s water unexpectedly broke during a stretch and sweep, ultimately leading to an induction and a successful vaginal birth.

We giggle, laugh until we cry, get emotional, and hear all the little details of a birth story that truly kept everyone guessing. 😂

Season 2 feels fresh, fun, vulnerable, and SO us. We couldn’t think of a better story to welcome you back.

Welcome back to Girly Pop Birth Talks. 💕🎧

This week on Girly Pop Birth Talks, we sit down with Aimee Denno—former Labor & Delivery nurse, mama of two, and a woman whose birth journey has held both deep empowerment and unimaginable intensity.

Aimee shares her story of two pregnancies, two vaginal births, and two attempted home births—one of which ended in a life-altering emergency when her second daughter needed resuscitation at home before being transferred by ambulance at just 10 minutes old.

As someone who has supported countless families in birth as an L&D nurse, Aimee opens up about what it felt like to be on the other side—as the mother, not the provider. We talk about the emotional complexity of birth plans changing fast, NICU stays, trusting your instincts, navigating trauma, and finding healing while mothering little ones close in age.

This conversation is raw, honest, powerful, and one that will stay with us for a long time. 🤍

In this episode we cover:

✨ Being both a birth professional and a birth patient

✨ Two very different home birth experiences

✨ Unexpected newborn respiratory complications + NICU stays

✨ Emergency resuscitation and ambulance transfer after birth

✨ Processing trauma while entering postpartum

✨ Motherhood, perspective shifts, and healing

This episode is for the moms who know birth can be beautiful and wildly unpredictable—and for anyone who has had to rewrite their story while still finding strength in it. 🎙️🤍

In this episode, we’re diving into a powerful, honest, and faith-filled conversation with a mama in her season of pre-conception for baby #3—reflecting on two completely different pregnancy and birth journeys that ultimately led her back to the same place: deep trust.

Grace shares how motherhood wasn’t always something she long dreamed about—but when it came into her life, it became her greatest sense of purpose.

Her first pregnancy was filled with awe and constant reminders of the miracle of life… but also fear. What began with a terrifying misdiagnosis of an interstitial ectopic pregnancy ended with an atypical HELLP Syndrome diagnosis, leading to a long and emotional 3–4 day induction prior to 37 weeks—and ultimately, a vaginal delivery that required deep surrender.

Her second journey brought a completely different energy—more peace, more connection, and more trust in her body. This time, she experienced a full-term, 40+2 vaginal birth, feeling empowered and supported throughout.

In this episode, we talk about:

    •    Navigating pregnancies that don’t go as planned

    •    Building trust with your body through uncertainty

    •    Holding space for both fear and empowerment in birth

    •    Faith, surrender, and trusting God’s timing

    •    Nourishing yourself through every season of motherhood

Grace also opens up about how becoming a mother became an unexpected space for healing—helping her work through years of body image struggles, disordered eating, and cycles of control, and instead learning to honor and trust her body.

And a full-circle moment you won’t believe:

Grace and her husband were both surprise babies… born on the same day, in the same hospital in Roseville, just hours apart—but didn’t meet until 25 years later 🤍

Oh—and despite a 3 lb and 3 inch difference between her babies, both births came down to just a few powerful pushes.

This episode is your reminder that:

✨ You don’t have to have it all planned for it to be exactly right

✨ Your body is wise

✨ And sometimes, the most unexpected paths lead you straight into your purpose

In this episode, we sit down with Michelle Cañete, a mom of three and doula, who shares her powerful journey through three very different — and increasingly fast — birth experiences.

From a first birth filled with anxiety, lack of preparation, and feeling overwhelmed… to two precipitous labors that moved faster than anyone expected — Michelle walks us through what it actually feels like when your body takes over.

We talk about:

What it’s like going into birth unprepared — and how that shaped everything after

The intensity and unpredictability of precipitous labor

Transition happening in the car (yes… really)

That “I have to poop” moment and what it actually means

The mental shift from fear → trust in your body

How experience can completely transform your birth perspective

Michelle’s second and third births happened in just a matter of hours — with pushing phases lasting only minutes — and her stories are a reminder that birth doesn’t always follow the “expected” timeline.

This episode is raw, fast-paced (just like her births), and full of those “wait… WHAT just happened?!” moments.

Whether you’re a first-time mom or preparing for another baby, this conversation will leave you thinking differently about birth, intuition, and how quickly things can change.

⸻

Takeaways:

Your first birth does not define your future births

Preparation and education can completely shift your experience

Fast labor is real — and can be intense, empowering, and a little chaotic

Your body knows what it’s doing, even when it feels overwhelming

⸻

Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: @_doulamichelle

In this episode of Girly Pop Birth Talks, we’re sitting down with Olivia Geller—birth doula, mom to a toddler, and newly pregnant with baby #2. Olivia shares her first birth experience and how it shaped the way she sees birth, motherhood, and the work she does today.

Her story is a beautiful reminder that positive, uncomplicated hospital births exist—and they matter.

What we talk about:

•  Being newly pregnant (around 6 weeks!) and navigating early pregnancy 
•  Life as a mom to a 2-year-old while entering a new season 
•  Her first birth: an unmedicated, low-risk hospital birth at Kaiser Roseville 
•  A 13-hour labor that felt “fast and easy-ish” 
•  What made her feel safe, supported, and confident during her birth 
•  Reflecting on a birth she genuinely loved 
•  How her birth experience influenced her path into becoming a doula 
•  Supporting families now as both a mom and a birth worker 

Why this episode matters:
We hear so many intense or complicated birth stories—but this one is a breath of fresh air. Olivia’s experience shows that birth can be calm, empowering, and even joyful. And sometimes, one positive experience is all it takes to change the direction of your life.

If you’re pregnant, planning your birth, or just craving a grounded, encouraging story—this one’s for you.

🎧 Streaming on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify
 💗 New episodes every Thursday

At 26, Allie is a single mom of two boys, a business owner, and in school to become a labor and delivery nurse and her story is one that will stay with you.

In this episode, Allie shares what it looked like to do it anyway…

through three pregnancies, two births, and seasons that would have broken most.

We talk about:

    • Becoming a young single mom and carrying the weight of it all

    • Her first birth: a 23-hour labor, an unforgettable moment catching her own baby, and the aftermath no one prepares you for

    • Postpartum complications, including a severe kidney infection and a third-degree tear

    • The physical and emotional toll of healing while still showing up for her babies

    • Her second birth and how it differed

    • Building a business and pursuing nursing in the middle of motherhood

    • The quiet strength, resilience, and softness it takes to keep going

This episode is for the moms who didn’t have it easy…

who carried more than they should have had to…

and who showed up anyway.

Allie’s story is powerful, honest, and deeply human and a reminder that strength doesn’t always look loud… sometimes it looks like surviving, healing, and continuing forward.

We’re joined by Sarah Vidal, a 29-year-old mama of two, who approached her birth in a completely intentional way—making it her full-time job to study birth.

During her pregnancy, she immersed herself in the work of Ina May Gaskin and other birth education, reshaping her mindset and building deep trust in her body.

She chose to birth at the California Birth Center, where her labor unfolded over 10.5 hours, including 3 hours of pushing—an experience that pushed her to her edge and showed her just how capable she is.

And what’s even more powerful… she’s choosing that same path again.

In this episode, we talk about:

•  What it looks like to fully prepare for birth mentally and emotionally
•  How studying birth transformed her experience 
•  Why she chose the California Birth Center—and why she’d choose it again 
•  Navigating a long and intense pushing phase 
•  The role of mindset, environment, and support in birth 
•  Trusting your body in a deep, embodied way 

This story is grounded, inspiring, and such a reminder that when you prepare with intention and trust your body—you can create an experience that feels truly aligned.

Go listen to Episode 34 🎙✨
 Streaming everywhere—YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

In this episode, we sit down with Jamie Garrison—a birth and postpartum doula, homesteader, and mama of four—who shares her powerful journey from high-risk pregnancies to a full-circle homebirth.

Jamie opens up about becoming a mom at 19 and navigating multiple medically complex pregnancies, including inductions for hypertension and preeclampsia, a premature birth at 34 weeks, and the heartbreak of miscarriage. Through each experience, her perspective on birth, motherhood, and support continued to evolve.

We also dive into her NICU experience—what it felt like to have a baby in the NICU, the emotional highs and lows, navigating uncertainty, and how that season shaped the way she now shows up for families as a doula. She shares what support actually looks like in those moments, what she wishes more people understood, and how deeply those early days can impact a mother’s healing.

A big part of this conversation centers around postpartum mental health—how it showed up for her, what it looked like behind the scenes, and the importance of being supported, seen, and cared for in the fourth trimester. We talk about the weight many moms carry silently, and how community and intentional support can change everything.

We talk about:

What it’s like to walk through repeated high-risk pregnancies

Inductions and navigating medical decision-making

Experiencing preeclampsia and early delivery

The emotional reality of having a baby in the NICU

Postpartum mental health and navigating the fourth trimester

Holding space for loss while continuing to grow your family

How her mindset around birth shifted over time

Choosing a homebirth after hospital experiences

How her personal journey led her into birth and postpartum doula work

What kind of support actually matters most to moms in vulnerable seasons

Jamie’s story is honest, layered, and deeply grounding. This episode is for anyone who has experienced medical complexities, NICU time, postpartum struggles, loss, or is simply learning to trust themselves again

🤍 You’re not behind. You’re becoming.

🎧 Streaming on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, & Spotify