What if the most important factor in your birth experience isn’t where you give birth… but how safe you feel? 

In today’s episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with trauma healer and embodiment coach Monica Yates to unpack her powerful first-time home birth story and the mindset, preparation, and support that made it possible.

From having a husband who was initially 100% against home birth… to witnessing a complete transformation after experiencing it firsthand, this conversation dives deep into what it really takes to advocate for your birth, trust your intuition, and create an environment where your body can fully open and surrender. This episode also explores the often-overlooked connection between postpartum struggles and lack of support, and why so many women are left trying to “do it all” instead of being deeply cared for.

Tune in to hear:

•  How Monica shifted her husband from fear to full support for home birth 
•  Why feeling safe is the #1 factor in how your labor unfolds 
•  What it looks like to prepare for birth like a high-performing woman 
•  The mindset shift that helped her move through intense sensations without fear 
•  Why she never pushed during labor and what that reveals about the body 
•  The powerful role of masculine support in helping women fully surrender 
•  The real reason many women struggle postpartum (and how to avoid it) 
•  Why asking for help is the most important thing you can do as a new mom 
•  How to proactively set yourself up for a peaceful, supported postpartum 
•  The emotional and relational transformation that birth can create in your marriage 

Connect with Monica:

Feminine as F*ck Podcast: https://monicayateshealth.com/pages/feminine-as-fuck-the-podcast

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

Website: https://monicayateshealth.com/

Birth story on Youtube: YouTubeMy Birth Story: A Positive Unmedicated Home Birth

The Immersion: Somatic immersion that will guide you home to yourself through deep trauma healing and embodiment work with women IN PERSON over the course of 3 days https://monicayates.samcart.com/referral/BeBgbeVO/kiAUM0YexLSEstlR Use Code: WELCOME500 for $500 off 

Book: https://www.becomingherbook.com/

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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Is home birth actually safe… or have we been asking the wrong question all along?

In this nuanced episode, Karen dives into one of the most debated topics in the birth world: home birth vs hospital birth and what’s truly the safest option. Instead of taking sides, this episode breaks down the evidence, the misconceptions, and the emotional layers behind birth choices so you can make a decision that feels aligned, informed, and confident.

You’ll learn why “safety” isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, how your environment impacts your body in labor, and what the research actually says about outcomes for low-risk women. Whether you're considering a home birth, planning a hospital birth, or somewhere in between, this episode will help you cut through the noise, release fear, and trust your body.

 Tune in to hear:

•  Why the question “what’s the safest place to give birth?” might be misleading 
•  The difference between what is safe vs what is safest for YOU
•  What large-scale research (including the Lancet study) actually says about home birth safety 
•  Why comfort and safety are directly connected in labor 
•  The truth about interventions and over-medicalization in hospital birth 
•  What really happens if something goes wrong during a home birth 
•  Why a hospital transfer does NOT mean failure
•  The real role of midwives and how they handle emergencies 
•  The pros and limitations of birth centers (and why they aren’t necessarily “safer”) 
•  How to choose the right birth environment based on your body, your needs, and your intuition 

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

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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What if birth didn’t have to be something you “push through”… but something you fully surrender to? 

In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Zatha Aiken, a former U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence Officer turned stay-at-home mom of three, who shares her incredible journey from control, compliance, and “pushing through” to complete surrender, trust, and experiencing a pain-free birth.

After her first birth within the medical system and a second free birth, Zatha entered her third birth with a radically different mindset: instead of bracing against the sensations, she chose to fully feel them. What followed was a deeply spiritual, fully present, and pain-free birth experience that transformed not just how she views birth, but how she experiences life, emotion, and her relationship with God. 

This episode is an exploration of the fear-tension-pain cycle, the shift from masculine to feminine energy in birth, and what becomes possible when women release fear and trust their bodies as they were designed.

Tune in to hear:

•  Zatha’s journey from military conditioning and compliance to full bodily autonomy 
•  Why she initially saw birth as something to “push through” like any other challenge 
•  The moment everything shifted from control to surrender in her third birth 
•  How understanding physiology changed her entire perception of pain 
•  The powerful mantra that transformed her experience: “Feel it, don’t fear it”
•  Why pain in birth is often tied to fear not the sensations themselves 
•  What it actually means to experience a pain-free birth (and why it’s not what you think) 
•  The role of awareness, curiosity, and presence in eliminating fear during labor 
•  How her birth journey mirrored a deeper spiritual healing and emotional transformation 
•  Why she believes pain-free birth is possible for every woman 

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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What would you do if doctors told you to abort one of your twins… with no medical reason?

In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Victoria McGuckin, a mom of three who shares her incredible twin home birth story.

After being labeled “high risk” and pressured into a highly medicalized birth plan, Victoria chose a different path rooted in faith, trust, and physiological birth. Her story is a powerful reminder that birth is not something happening to you. It’s something your body was designed to do, even in situations the world calls “high risk.”

Tune in to hear:

• What happened when doctors asked if she wanted to abort one of her twins
• Why hospital protocols for twins often lead to unnecessary C-sections
• The mindset shift that replaced fear with peace during her pregnancy
• How she prepared her body physically for a twin birth
• The moment she went from 1 cm to 9 cm instantly during labor
• Why oxytocin (not control) was the key to her labor progressing
• What pushing actually felt like during a twin birth
• How baby #2 was born just minutes after the first
• The truth about “pain” vs. intensity in labor
• What postpartum life with twins really looks like (including sleep + breastfeeding!)
• Encouragement for moms navigating fear, pressure, or “high-risk” labels

Resources Mentioned:

• Birthing Instincts podcast (Dr. Stu)

Connect with Victoria:

• @wholebirthwellneswithvic
• @victoria_alexandra_mcguckin

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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What if your second birth could be completely different from your first...even after a long, difficult hospital birth?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Sarah Tollison, a nurse and mom of two from South Carolina, who shares the incredible story of her 45-minute, pain-free birth. After experiencing a 36-hour hospital birth with her first baby, Sarah hoped her second birth would be different , but she never expected labor to progress so quickly.

Sarah shares what it was like to experience the fetal ejection reflex, how learning about birth physiology transformed her confidence, and why her mindset going into her second birth made such a difference. Her story is a powerful reminder that one difficult birth does not define future births and that the body is capable of far more than many women realize.

Tune in to hear:

• Sarah’s first birth experience and why it lasted 36 hours in the hospital
• How hospital protocols and interventions impacted her first labor
• Why she chose a birth center and midwife for her second birth
• How she caught her own baby during a completely unexpected unassisted birth
• What the fetal ejection reflex felt like during labor
• Why the birth was nearly pain-free despite being extremely fast
• How watching positive birth stories changed her mindset about birth
• The difference between preparing for birth in fear vs preparing in trust
• Why childbirth education can transform the way women experience labor
• How recovery differed after a physiological birth without pushing
• Encouragement for moms hoping for a redeeming birth after a difficult first experience

Connect with Sarah: @Sarah.tollison.rn

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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Are you preparing for birth by gathering more information… but still feeling anxious and overwhelmed?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen dives into one of the most common mistakes first-time moms make when preparing for childbirth: focusing almost entirely on gathering information instead of regulating the nervous system. While education is valuable, Karen explains how consuming too much information (especially when it’s filtered through fear or anxiety) can actually dysregulate the nervous system and create more stress around birth.

This episode invites pregnant mothers to shift their focus from over-preparing mentally to learning how to regulate their nervous system and reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies. Karen also walks listeners through simple ways to check in with their bodies, identify hidden fears or tension, and begin cultivating the calm, parasympathetic state that supports physiological birth.

Tune in to hear:

• The nervous system mistake many first-time moms make when preparing for birth
• Why information overload can actually increase anxiety during pregnancy
• How the fight-or-flight response can stall labor and increase pain
• Why birth happens best in a parasympathetic “rest and receive” state
• The connection between nervous system regulation and oxytocin production
• How fear, tension, and anxiety in the body can show up during labor
• Practical ways to begin regulating your nervous system during pregnancy
• Why preparing your body is just as important as preparing your mind
• How learning to surrender and release control can transform your birth experience

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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What happens when you learn to meet the power of contractions instead of fearing them?

In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen welcomes Petronella, a first-time mom from Sweden who shares her incredible pain-free home birth story. Despite home birth being rare in Sweden, Petronella followed her intuition and chose to give birth in the place where she felt safest (her own home).

Petronella describes how years of hearing positive birth stories from her mother and witnessing friends give birth shaped her belief that birth could be empowering, natural, and even enjoyable. During her pregnancy, she intentionally prepared by listening to countless birth stories, studying the physiology of birth, and connecting deeply with her body and intuition.

This episode beautifully illustrates how preparation, mindset, and trust in the body’s design can transform the birth experience.

Tune in to hear: 

• Why Petronella chose a home birth in Sweden, where home births are uncommon
• How early exposure to positive birth stories shaped her mindset about childbirth
• The importance of preparing for birth before pregnancy
• How listening to birth stories can help reframe fear and build confidence
• What it means to “meet the power” of contractions during labor
• How vocalizing and using the voice can support cervical dilation during birth
• Why creating a safe and peaceful birth environment matters
• The role of intuition and trusting your body during labor
• What pushing felt like for Petronella and why she actually enjoyed that stage
• How relaxation and surrender can help prevent tearing during birth
• The emotional moment of meeting her baby after a peaceful home birth

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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What if labor wasn’t random? What if bonding isn’t luck? What if your brain is biologically designed to change in birth?

In this profound and science-rich conversation, Karen sits down with Dr. Sarah Buckley, family physician, researcher, and pioneer in physiological birth, to unpack the true hormonal science of labor and postpartum.

Dr. Buckley has spent decades studying oxytocin, the primary hormone of labor, bonding, and breastfeeding. In this episode, she explains how birth activates the brain’s reward and pleasure centers, how oxytocin creates maternal bonding, and why feeling safe during labor is not emotional fluff. It’s biological necessity. 

This episode bridges the gap between science and spirituality, physiology and experience proving that ecstatic birth is not fantasy. It is mammalian biology.

Tune in to hear:

• How oxytocin changes the maternal brain during labor
• What actually causes bonding between mother and baby
• The neuroscience behind the “birth high”
• Why safety is essential for oxytocin release
• How synthetic oxytocin works differently in the body
• The surprising research findings on Pitocin and oxytocin levels
• How epidurals impact the oxytocin feedback loop
• Why some women miss the hormonal peak at birth
• What happens hormonally during cesarean birth
• How skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding can “fill hormonal gaps”
• Why birth is a relational experience, not an engineering event
• The mammalian design behind maternal transformation
• How to protect your physiology in hospital birth settings

Connect with Dr. Buckley:

Website: www.sarahbuckley.com

FB: @DrSarahBuckley 

IG: @DrSarahJBuckley 

Twitter: @Sarahjbuckley

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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Can birth really be different the second time? What if releasing fear was the missing piece?

In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Callie shares her redemptive Christian home birth story after experiencing an excruciatingly painful first labor. At just 22 years old and pregnant with her second baby, she knew she could not walk into birth carrying the same fear and tension that defined her first experience. 

In this conversation, Callie shares how understanding the fear–tension–pain cycle transformed her perspective on contractions, how inviting God into her labor brought peace and confidence, and why birth can feel intense without feeling traumatic.

She also speaks honestly about postpartum complications and anxiety, reminding listeners that redemption does not always mean perfection. Birth can be both powerful and messy. Faith does not eliminate challenges, but it reframes them. Her testimony is a reminder that birth can be both powerful and messy, and that God can be present in both.

This episode is filled with encouragement for any mama who has experienced birth trauma, fears labor, or feels stuck believing her story is already written.

Tune in to hear:

• What made Callie’s first birth “excruciatingly painful”
• How fear contributed to her labor experience
• The power of addressing the fear–tension–pain cycle
• How Scripture and worship reshaped her mindset
• What contractions felt like in her second labor
• The moment she felt her baby rotate and descend
• How her husband showed up differently the second time
• What really happened during her postpartum hemorrhage
• Honest conversation about postpartum anxiety and healing
• Encouragement for moms believing their story cannot change

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Faith Filled Childbirth  

Supernatural Childbirth 

Birth Playlist

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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Are you planning an unmedicated birth… but wondering if you’re actually doing enough to prepare?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen breaks down the five essential steps to preparing for a natural, physiological birth with intention. Not just hoping for one. Not just writing a birth plan. But truly preparing your mind, body, and spirit for the birth experience you desire.

If you’ve been binging birth stories and thinking, “I want that too” but still feel unsure where to start, this episode gives you a clear, practical roadmap.

Because birth is not random. And while it is unpredictable, there are patterns. There are principles. There are ways to stack the odds in your favor.

Tune in to hear:

• Why overcoming fear is the first and most important step in birth preparation
• How unresolved birth stories and trauma can influence your labor
• The fear–tension–pain cycle and how it impacts your body
• Why understanding the physiology of birth changes everything
• The hormones that drive labor and how to support them naturally
• How clarity about your desired birth experience increases confidence
• The difference between the medical model and midwifery model of care
• Why your provider choice statistically impacts your birth outcome more than anything else

Resources mentioned:

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

CONNECT WITH KAREN:

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

Submit your birth story and apply to come on the podcast

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Facebook

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