Pain Free Birth

What if you were told you weren't dilating, your midwife went home, and less than two hours later you were holding your nearly 10-pound baby in your arms?

After a difficult first hospital birth that left her baby with a broken collarbone, former professional basketball player and mom of three Vanessa Sugg knew she wanted a different experience. Through the Pain Free Birth course, prayer, and a deeper understanding of physiological birth, Vanessa went on to experience two incredible home births. But nothing could have prepared her for the beautiful, faith-filled arrival of her third baby.

In this powerful Christian home birth testimony, Vanessa shares how she went from zero centimeters dilated to birthing her 9 lb 12 oz baby in under two hours, without coached pushing or tearing. From the discouragement of being told her baby wasn't coming that night to surrendering her fears, laboring peacefully in warm water, and breathing her baby into her own hands, her story is a beautiful reminder of the power of birth preparation, trusting your body, and leaning into God's peace.

Tune in to hear:

• How Vanessa's difficult hospital birth inspired her journey toward natural home birth
• Why the Pain Free Birth course completely transformed her mindset and confidence
• How Vanessa and her husband created a list of 30 specific prayers for pregnancy and birth
• What happened when her midwife checked her cervix, found zero dilation, and went home
• How she navigated discouragement, fear, and emotional surrender during labor
• Why warm water and her husband's incredible support made such a difference
• How she used gentle breathing instead of forceful pushing to birth her 9 lb 12 oz baby
• Why she believes slowing down helped her experience a birth without tearing
• How she embraced a peaceful, nourishing postpartum season
• Her encouragement for first-time moms who want to replace fear with confidence, preparation, and faith

Resources mentioned:

The First 40 Days

Connect with Vanessa:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veesuggs/

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

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Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if the birth you are praying for could become an invitation to trust, surrender, and experience God in a completely new way?

After an intervention-filled first birth and a heartbreaking miscarriage, Lacey Coffey longed for redemption. In the middle of her grief, she began praying for God to show her what was ahead. Lacey says dreams, visions, and signs began pointing her toward something incredibly specific: a rainbow baby, a Christmas birth, and a peaceful water birth.

But getting there was not simple. Lacey navigated gestational diabetes, kidney stones, bleeding, and weeks of prodromal labor while continually returning to what she believed God had shown her. Then, in the early hours of Christmas Eve, everything changed. Her water broke, labor intensified quickly, and what followed was a breathtaking 2.5-hour birth filled with worship, surrender, laughter, and a race to the birth center that ended just five minutes before her daughter was born.

Tune in to hear:

• How Lacey’s first birth and miscarriage shaped her desire for a redemptive birth
• The dreams and visions that pointed her toward a Christmas water birth
• How she navigated gestational diabetes, kidney stones, and weeks of prodromal labor
• The breathing, relaxation, and surrender practices that prepared her for a pain-free birth
• How she moved through fear by returning to “trust, relax, allow”
• The wild one-hour drive to the birth center while her body was already pushing
• How her daughter was born in the water just five minutes after they arrived
• What this birth taught Lacey about trusting God, surrender, and motherhood

CONNECT WITH LACEY:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softbabynames/

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if the most powerful part of childbirth isn’t something you can prepare for with your mind, but something you have to surrender to with your whole being?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Show, I’m exploring what I call “crossing the veil,” that profound shift that can happen during labor when birth moves beyond something you are thinking through and becomes something you are fully experiencing. It can be the moment when contractions intensify, time seems to change, your thinking brain quiets, and you are invited to surrender more deeply than you thought possible.

We’re talking about the spiritual side of childbirth that so often gets overlooked in birth preparation. Birth is not simply a mechanical process of getting a baby out of your body. It can be a deeply transformative experience that brings your fears, doubts, trust, strength, and faith to the surface. This episode is an invitation to prepare not only your body and mind for birth, but also your heart and spirit, so that when you reach the place where control is no longer serving you, you can let go and allow birth to transform you.

Tune in to hear:

• What “crossing the veil” can mean during labor
• Why the transition from early labor into active labor can feel like entering an entirely different state
• How surrender can become one of your greatest tools during physiological birth
• Why birth preparation is about more than information and checklists
• How women describe heightened intuition, altered awareness, and a sense of God’s presence during labor
• Why your birth environment matters when you enter the deepest stages of labor
• What can happen when people interrupt, question, or try to manage a laboring mother who has gone inward
• Why trusting the mother and protecting her space can be so powerful
• How birth can bring fear, insecurity, doubt, trust, joy, and strength to the surface
• What it means to see birth as a transition from maiden to mother
• Why pregnancy itself can become preparation for surrender and transformation
• How faith can meet you when you reach the end of your own strength
• Why you don’t have to understand or control every part of birth to walk through it with confidence
• The invitation to see childbirth not simply as something to endure, but as an experience that can transform you

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if birth was never meant to be something you had to endure in your own strength?

After experiencing sexual trauma as a teenager and again as a young woman in the Air Force, Lauren Frazier entered motherhood with a deep desire to reclaim trust in her body. Across four births, God transformed that trust into something even deeper. What began as a determination to advocate for herself eventually became an invitation to surrender, listen, and experience birth in partnership with Him.

In this episode, Lauren shares the progression from her first birth, where intervention dramatically changed an otherwise peaceful labor, to her second birth, where she learned to trust her body through pushing, and finally to two births she describes as completely supernatural and pain-free. During her third birth, Lauren arrived at the hospital already 7 centimeters dilated, yet she could not even feel the contractions appearing on the monitor. Her fourth birth unfolded with the same extraordinary peace at home. Through both experiences, Lauren says her focus was not on avoiding pain. It was on staying close to God, listening for His voice, and surrendering one moment at a time.

Tune in to hear:

• How Lauren’s history of sexual trauma shaped her relationship with her body, autonomy, and birth
• Why one intervention dramatically changed the course of her otherwise peaceful first birth
• How prodromal labor during her second pregnancy deepened her trust in her body and God
• How discovering Supernatural Childbirth transformed the way Lauren prepared for her third birth
• What happened when Lauren arrived at the hospital 7 centimeters dilated and couldn’t feel her contractions
• How she recognized intrusive thoughts during labor and redirected her attention back to God
• Why listening for God’s voice became central to her pain-free birth experience
• How Lauren’s third baby was born in only two pushes, and the powerful response from her husband
• How her fourth birth became another peaceful, supernatural pain-free birth, this time at home
• How giving birth to her daughter became an unexpected part of Lauren’s healing from sexual trauma

Supernatural Childbirth by Jaci Mize:https://amzn.to/4qFAf91

CONNECT WITH LAUREN:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/liferich_coaching/ and https://www.instagram.com/laurenelizabethfrazier/

Website:  www.liferichcoaching.com

Email:  [email protected]

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if the birth that broke your heart didn’t have to be the end of your story?

After preparing for a natural birth with her first baby, Stephanie Andrade found herself transferring from a birth center to the hospital, receiving Pitocin, and eventually having an emergency cesarean. Although there were moments of peace and God’s presence throughout the experience, Stephanie was left processing disappointment, trauma, and questions about what future births might look like.

When she became pregnant again, Stephanie knew she wanted to approach birth differently. She researched her options, communicated clearly with her midwife, learned to advocate for her preferences, and ultimately surrendered the outcome to God. What followed was something she never expected. Instead of making it to the hospital for her planned VBAC, Stephanie gave birth at home with only her husband present. Her labor was fast, instinctive, and pain-free, and her body pushed her baby out without conscious pushing.

Tune in to hear:

• How Stephanie’s first birth went from a peaceful birth center labor to an emergency C-section
• Why learning she had reached 10 centimeters during her first labor mattered when preparing for her VBAC
• How Stephanie processed the emotional impact of her cesarean
• The fears she faced while preparing to give birth after a C-section
• Why surrendering the outcome to God became a turning point in her pregnancy
• How she approached informed consent and hospital VBAC protocols differently the second time
• Why communicating clear preferences with your birth team matters
• How Stephanie prepared to advocate for herself during labor
• Why she didn’t realize how far into labor she actually was
• The moment a shower turned into an unexpected home birth
• What it felt like when her body pushed her baby out without conscious effort
• Why Stephanie experienced intense pressure, but no ring of fire
• How understanding birth physiology helped her stay grounded as her baby was born
• The dramatic difference between her cesarean recovery and natural postpartum recovery
• Stephanie’s encouragement for women hoping for a redemptive birth after a difficult or traumatic experience

Connect with Stephanie:
Instagram: @stephreneeandrade

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What happens when the peaceful home birth you planned suddenly becomes a hospital twin birth, and you still deeply desire a physiological, unmedicated experience?

After two beautiful home births, Siera Asivido fully expected to welcome her third baby the same way. Then, at her 20-week anatomy scan, she saw two heads on the ultrasound screen. She was carrying spontaneous di/di twins, and suddenly the birth environment where she felt safest was no longer an option with her trusted midwife.

Instead of giving up on the birth she desired, Siera began learning how to advocate for herself. She created an intentional birth plan, learned how to communicate informed decisions to her OB team, declined routine hospital practices that did not align with her goals, and prepared both practically and spiritually for birth. At 39 weeks and 1 day, she walked into the hospital in early labor and experienced a peaceful, physiological twin birth that exceeded what she imagined was possible.

Tune in to hear:

• The shocking moment Siera discovered at 20 weeks that she was carrying twins
• Why losing the option of another home birth required a real grieving process
• How she navigated hospital policies while still pursuing a physiological twin birth
• The one-page birth plan that helped her clearly communicate her values and informed decisions
• How reading her birth plan aloud helped Siera find her voice and advocate with confidence
• Why she chose to decline the operating room unless a C-section became medically necessary
• How prayer and birth affirmations helped her move from fear into trust and surrender
• What happened when she arrived at the hospital at 39 weeks and 1 day with twins
• How her body became so relaxed during transition that her midwife thought she was sleeping
• The unexpected complication with Baby B, including a nuchal cord wrapped five times, and how Siera adapted without losing her sense of empowerment

Pain Free Birth Episode #66 on Advocacy with Intentional Birth

Connect with Siera:
Instagram - @sieraasivido

Siera's Birthplan: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oCFFQMW2ibTPsbjqc_0hFxLGyB2ugHIl?usp=sharing

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

Have you ever felt a tug toward birth work, but immediately wondered how becoming a doula could possibly fit into your real life?

Maybe you have little kids at home, a full-time job, a husband who is not completely on board, or no idea how you would find your first doula client. Maybe you love birth and supporting women, but the thought of putting yourself out there feels terrifying. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on what it actually takes to become a birth doula and answering the questions that might be keeping you from taking that next step.

After 13 years of doula work, I’ve learned that becoming a doula does not require having your entire life perfectly figured out. We’re talking about practical solutions for childcare, balancing birth work with motherhood or another career, getting your first clients, navigating difficult births, building confidence, and creating a doula business that works for your life. I’m also sharing what we’ve completely rebuilt inside the Pain-Free Birth Doula Certification Program and why community, mentorship, business training, and ongoing support matter so much when you step into birth work.

Questions Answered in This Episode:

• How do you know if your called to doula work - and where do you start?
• How do you make childcare work as a doula?
• What if your husband or partner isn’t supportive?
• How do you get over imposter syndrome and the fear of being seen?
• How do you find clients when you’re just starting out?
• Is the doula industry already oversaturated - and how do you stand out?
• Can you become a doula if you’ve never given birth yourself?
• How do you prepare for hard or traumatic births?
• What if your not experienced or qualified enough?

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if the birth that changed everything was not your first birth, but the one that finally showed you what birth could be?

In this deeply personal episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with someone very special to the Pain Free Birth family, her personal assistant, Jamie Bennett. After two difficult hospital births, including an epidural she did not originally want and a completely failed epidural during her second labor, Jamie entered her third pregnancy knowing something needed to change. Her search for truly aligned care eventually led her somewhere she never expected, a home birth.

Jamie shares how that redemptive, euphoric home birth transformed far more than the way she viewed birth. It strengthened her faith, changed the way she approached motherhood, taught her to stop asking permission, and ultimately led her into her calling as a doula. Now, after years of working behind the scenes at Pain Free Birth and reading countless birth stories, Jamie is stepping into birth rooms herself and helping other women discover how supported, informed, and empowered birth can be.

Tune in to hear:

• How Jamie’s first two difficult hospital births shaped the way she viewed birth and support
• What happened when her epidural completely failed during her second birth
• Why interviewing your provider and choosing an aligned birth team matters
• How Jamie went from being afraid of home birth to choosing it for her third baby
• The simple words from her midwife that changed the entire direction of her labor
• How her joyful, redemptive home birth transformed her confidence, motherhood, and faith
• Why Jamie believes our hardest birth experiences can ultimately prepare us to help others
• How her own birth journey led her to answer the calling to become a doula
• How Jamie booked four births within her first two months as a new doula
• Her encouragement for women who feel called to birth work but are afraid to take the first step 

Questions to Ask Your Provider: https://resources.painfreebirth.com/birth-provider-questions 

CONNECT WITH JAMIE:

Instagram: @birthwithjamie

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if being told you have a “big baby” creates more fear than the actual size of your baby ever needed to?

If you have been told your baby is measuring large, your hips might be too small, or you should consider an induction because of suspected macrosomia, this episode is for you. We are unpacking the fear surrounding big babies and talking about what the evidence actually says about fetal size, late-pregnancy estimates, induction, shoulder dystocia, and cesarean birth.

You will also learn why the way your body and baby move during birth matters so much. From the flexibility of the pelvis and molding of your baby’s head to positioning, breathing, pelvic floor relaxation, and upright pushing positions, this conversation will help you look beyond a number on an ultrasound and better understand the physiology of birth. Most importantly, you will walk away with questions you can bring to your provider so you can make informed decisions that feel right for you and your baby. 

Tune in to hear:

•  What macrosomia means and why a suspected big baby can create so much fear 
•  Why late-pregnancy estimates of fetal weight are not the same thing as knowing your baby’s actual birth weight 
•  The primary concern providers have about large babies and shoulder dystocia 
•  Why suspected fetal size can influence the way labor and birth are managed 
•  How fear and doubt can affect tension, relaxation, and the experience of labor 
•  Why your baby’s position may matter enormously during pushing 
•  How your pelvis is designed to move during birth 
•  How your baby’s skull molds as your baby travels through the birth canal 
•  Why relaxing and yielding the pelvic floor is different from forcefully pushing against it 
•  How upright and hands-and-knees positions can give the pelvis more freedom to move 
•  What the Gaskin and McRoberts maneuvers are in the context of shoulder dystocia 
•  Questions to ask your OB or midwife if your baby is suspected to be large 
•  Why learning physiological pushing techniques before labor can change your birth experience 
•  How to replace fear-based decision-making with education, informed consent, and confidence in your options 

Evidence Based Birth Article: EvidencebasedbirthWhat is the Evidence for Induction or C-section for a Big Baby?

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...

What if your biggest, most peaceful birth could happen when you stop trying to control the process and learn to trust the way your body was designed to give birth?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with mom of three Michelle Owsley to share a remarkable journey that began long before she had children of her own. At just 18 years old, Michelle traveled to rural Kenya, where she unexpectedly found herself assisting at more than 50 births. Those experiences planted a seed of trust in physiological birth, but years later, Michelle still had to confront the fear and conditioning surrounding birth when it was her turn to become a mother.

Michelle shares the progression from two unmedicated Pitocin inductions to her third birth, where everything changed. After experiencing situational high blood pressure, navigating recommendations for additional growth scans, and working intentionally to guard her mind from fear, Michelle prepared for birth differently. At 41 weeks, she finally released her expectations and surrendered the outcome to God. Hours later, she was in spontaneous labor. Her 10-pound, 1-ounce baby was born in the water, completely pain-free, without coached pushing and without tearing.

Tune in to hear:

•  How attending more than 50 births in rural Kenya shaped Michelle’s view of natural, physiological birth 
•  How Michelle navigated two unmedicated Pitocin inductions before experiencing pain-free birth 
•  What her first birth taught her about the question, “Am I enough?” 
•  How fear and stress dramatically affected Michelle’s blood pressure during her second pregnancy 
•  Why choosing a birth center or midwife does not eliminate the need for informed consent and self-advocacy 
•  How Michelle prepared differently for her third pregnancy by intentionally guarding her mind 
•  Why she declined an additional growth ultrasound and navigated fears surrounding a potentially big baby 
•  How surrendering control at more than 41 weeks transformed the way Michelle approached labor 
•  Why Michelle chose not to forcefully push and allowed the fetal ejection reflex to birth her baby 
•  How she birthed a 10-pound, 1-ounce baby pain-free, without tearing, and experienced her easiest postpartum recovery

Beautiful One Midwifery: Website or @beautifulonemidwifery

CONNECT WITH MICHELLE:
@michelle_owsley17

Doors are open for the Doula Certification Program. Grab your spot HERE.

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE

Submit Your Birth Story

Apply to Come on the Podcast

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

Looking for a like-minded provider? View the PFB Directory HERE.

Want to join the directory? JOIN HERE

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider regarding your individual health, pregnancy, birth, or postpartum care. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Pain F...