Pain Free Birth

What happens when you’re told you’re infertile, exposed to toxic mold, living in constant stress—and still believe for a miracle?

In this powerful episode, Karen sits down with Ashlee Rowland, a Christ-centered nutritionist and wellness educator from @simplholistic, to share her incredible journey from infertility and illness to a pain-free, breech homebirth—all while living in a mold-contaminated house.

This is more than a birth story—it’s a testimony of God’s faithfulness, a lesson in trusting your intuition, and a raw look at the realities of anxiety, postpartum, and walking through the fire with Jesus by your side.

Tune in to hear:

• How Ashlee went from infertility and autoimmune diagnoses to a thriving pregnancy
• The jaw-dropping moment her midwife realized the “head” was actually something else
• How she delivered her frank breech baby in runner’s lunge with zero tearing
• Why she didn’t feel pain, even during the ring of fire
• What it's like to live in toxic mold while pregnant—and still have a healthy baby
• How God showed up in the chaos to bring peace, clarity, and strength
• The difference between anxiety and intuition (and how she learned to tell the two apart)
• Why postpartum spiritual warfare is real—and what helped her stand firm
• Practical tools Ashlee used to regulate her nervous system and heal emotionally
• How surrender, faith, and affirmations shaped her birth and postpartum experience
• A powerful prayer for any mama walking through fear, anxiety, or hardship

Try Lifewave x39 patches: https://lifewave.com/painfreebirth 

Check out Ashlee's courses:

• Naked Hormones
• Holistic Mold Protocol
• Holistic Mold Protocol (Body)
• Holistic Mold Protocol (Home)

Connect with Ashlee:

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

Website: simplholistic.org 

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 been told VBAC is too risky?

In this episode, Karen pulls back the curtain on the fear-based messaging surrounding VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) and delivers the real evidence every mom deserves to know. If you’ve ever been told VBAC is too risky, this episode is your permission slip to ask better questions, trust your intuition, and get truly informed before making one of the biggest decisions of your life.

Tune in to hear:

• The real evidence behind VBAC success rates (hint: it’s not 15%!)
• Why so many OBs still quote 100-year-old beliefs about birth
• The actual risk of uterine rupture—and what doctors aren’t telling you
• How fear-based care is keeping women in the dark
• The difference between relative risk and real risk
• The risks of repeat C-sections that almost no one talks about
• What it means to get true informed consent
• 5 powerful ways to prepare for a successful VBAC
• Why choosing the right provider is the #1 decision you’ll make

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/

VBAC Resources: 

-Birth by the Numbers 

-PubMed Views of Women From Countries With High VBAC Rates 

-EBB 113 - The Evidence on VBAC

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 you walk into the hospital at 8.5 cm dilated… and still end up with a C-section?

In this episode, Karen sits down with Carrie Coppins to unpack her journey from a traumatic first birth to a redemptive, healing home VBAC. Carrie vulnerably shares how her first birth left her feeling devastated, angry at her body—and even at God. But through therapy, faith, and deep preparation, she chose to believe for a different story with her second baby.

This episode is for every woman who has ever doubted her body, grieved a birth that didn’t go as planned, or is preparing her heart for a VBAC. It’s a story of healing, hope, and holy redemption.

Tune in to hear:

• What really happened when Carrie “stalled” at 9 cm
• How birth trauma impacted her mental health and relationship with God
• The resources that helped her prepare for a VBAC (and the mindset shift she needed)
• What her OB told her about her “15% chance” of VBAC success
• The stark contrast between OB and midwife care
• Her beautiful, redemptive home birth story (spoiler: her husband caught the baby!)
• Advice for VBAC moms navigating doubt, fear, and outside opinions

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/

Resources mentioned:

VBAC book: https://amzn.to/4lu4bl5 

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth: https://amzn.to/3TC8w9M 

VBAC Resources: 

-Birth by the Numbers 

-PubMed Views of Women From Countries With High VBAC Rates 

-EBB 113 - The Evidence on VBAC

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...

Can you really have a safe breech or twin birth at home? What if your OB told you yes?

In this powerful episode, Karen sits down with Dr. Victoria Flores, a Southern California-based home birth obstetrician who specializes in breech and twin births. After decades inside the hospital system, Dr. Victoria made a radical shift—leaving behind a broken model to fully support women outside of it.

From childhood, Victoria was fascinated by breech birth. But after 20+ years in the medical system, the soul-crushing grind took a toll on her health and spirit. Now, she’s taken the reins of Dr. Stuart Fischbein’s legendary practice and brings her unique intuition, deep knowledge, and unwavering belief in women’s bodies to every birth she attends.

Tune in to hear:

• The spiritual and intuitive shift that led Dr. Victoria to leave hospital birth behind
• What she really sees inside the birth canal (hello, x-ray vision)
• Common myths vs. medical truth around breech birth safety
• Why head entrapment is often used to scare women out of vaginal breech
• The #1 reason most OBs won’t support breech births—even if they can
• What qualifies someone as a good candidate for breech or twin home birth
• A shocking 11-hour wait between twin births 
• A radical story of a triplet home birth you’ll never forget

Connect with Dr. Victoria: https://victoriamdbirthing.com/ 

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...

In this episode, Karen sits down with holistic birth doula and mom of two, Lauren McEnulty, as she shares her incredible story of planning and executing a successful vaginal breech birth. Despite being pressured into a C-section by her original birth center and rejected by multiple providers, Lauren stayed true to her intuition and her baby’s needs.

She shares the emotional and physical toll of trying everything to flip her baby—including spinning babies, acupuncture, and moxibustion—only to later discover that her baby’s short cord and positioning made flipping impossible. After being dismissed by her original providers, Lauren sought out a breech-trained midwife over an hour away and finally found someone who believed in her.

This episode is a beautiful testimony of maternal instinct, perseverance, and the truth that women’s bodies are capable of birthing breech when supported by the right providers.

Tune in to hear:

• How Lauren navigated the emotional and physical stress of learning her baby was breech
• What she tried to flip her baby naturally, including spinning babies, acupuncture, and moxibustion
• The moment her providers gave up on her—and how she refused to give up on herself
• How she found a breech-trained midwife after being turned away by multiple birth centers
• The powerful moment she discovered why her baby never flipped
• Her labor experience, from water breaking in a hotel to giving birth surrounded by support
• A vivid, hands-off breech birth story that was calm, safe, and deeply affirming
• Her advice to moms navigating a breech diagnosis and how to find the right provider

Connect with Lauren:
https://www.waves-doula-care.com/ 

Watch Lauren's birth video (TW: Graphic Content)

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 your water breaks at 36 weeks—and your midwife legally can’t attend your birth?

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen Welton interviews Lindsey  Cantu, a chiropractor, doula, and founder of BirthFit, who shares her incredible story of navigating an unexpected early labor, trusting her body, and giving birth outside under the stars in a peaceful, unassisted birth.

Tune in to hear:

• How Lindsay got pregnant naturally at 40 after years of waiting 
• What most women misunderstand about training during pregnancy
•  How to support the pelvic floor for birth and postpartum
•  Why strong doesn’t mean tight—and why softening is vital
•  How movement, breath, and nervous system connection prepare you for     labor

BirthFit Prenatal Package (Get 20% off with code: PAINFREEBIRTH)

BirthFit Basics Free Video Training

Website: https://birthfit.com

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...

In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen welcomes first time mom Brenna Burkins to share her extraordinary 4-hour pain-free home birth story. What makes Brenna’s birth so remarkable? Not only was it her first baby, but she labored with joy, laughter, and zero pain after intentionally preparing—spiritually, mentally, and physically—for a supernatural birth experience.

Brenna opens up about the moment she first believed pain-free birth was possible, after hearing a testimony that challenged everything she’d been taught about childbirth. From there, she immersed herself in faith-building resources like Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize and partnered with her husband in prayer and belief.

Tune in to hear:

• How Brenna rejected fear from the start of her pregnancy
• Her experience using Scripture and worship music as labor tools
• What happened when pain began to creep in—and how she stopped it through prayer
• The moment she felt the fetal ejection reflex and her body took over
• Laughing during pushing (!!) and the overwhelming joy when her son was born
• Why this birth radically impacted her faith, her confidence, and her identity as a mom

Resources Mentioned:

• Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize
• Brenna’s labor worship playlist
• Karen’s worship playlist for labor
• Watch Brenna’s birth video on Instagram

Connect with Brenna:

@brennaburkins on all platforms - instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, +  Pinterest 

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE 

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...

In this episode, Karen sits down with Lauren Leonard—ER nurse, mental health advocate, and former NFL cheerleader—who shares her miraculous and deeply personal journey from infertility and generational birth trauma to a pain-free, supernatural birth marked by worship, surrender, and divine intimacy.

After four years of trying to conceive and a lifetime of hearing her mother’s traumatic birth story, Lauren never imagined she’d one day experience a birth that felt euphoric, empowering, and completely God-ordained. But that’s exactly what happened.

Tune in to hear:

• Lauren's experience growing up with fear around natural birth—and what changed her mindset
• The miracle timing of getting pregnant during her mother’s heart transplant journey
• How the Pain Free Birth course gave her the tools to walk through labor in peace
• Her supernatural, pain-free hospital water birth and the power of surrender
• The emotional intimacy and spiritual transformation she experienced with her husband
• How birth reshaped her relationship with God and her view of femininity
• The unexpected ways her partner showed up powerfully because of the Partner Prep course
• How birth became the foundation for deeper trust, parenthood, and postpartum healing

🎁 Try Outlast Audio free for 1 month with code: PAINFREEBIRTH https://outlastaudio.com

Connect with Lauren:

@laurenmleonard_ 

@outlastaudio 

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE 

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...

In this special Father's Day episode, I’m joined by her husband, Jonathan Welton. We’re pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like for dads to walk through pregnancy, labor, and birth—especially outside the hospital system.

From initial hesitations about home birth to fully showing up with unwavering presence, Jonathan shares the fears, surprises, and transformations he experienced through our three unmedicated births. Whether your partner is nervous, unsure of his role, or simply wants to be a great support person, this honest conversation offers practical advice and heartfelt encouragement from a dad who’s been there.

Tune in to hear:

• How to support your partner during a natural or home birth
• Why your presence matters more than your knowledge
• How birth transformed Jonathan as a father
• Advocating in the hospital vs. trusting the birth process
• Breaking through fear, control, and cultural conditioning
• How to be your partner’s hero in the birth room
• What faith, midwives, and ancient wisdom taught him about fatherhood

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE 

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 birth experience could be more than just physical—what if it became a holy encounter with God?

In this episode, Karen sits down with Emily Vondy—musician, speaker, content creator, and mama of (now) six—to share the unforgettable story of her fifth birth. From walking through the fear of a pregnancy after loss to experiencing a supernatural encounter with God during active labor in the car, Emily’s story is a beautiful testimony of faith, surrender, and divine joy.

Emily vulnerably shares how God transformed her labor from anxiety and dread into laughter, peace, and profound connection. She opens up about how He met her in her weakness, carried her through transition, and gave her visions that forever changed how she sees Him.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & Emily’s Background
02:00 – Pregnancy After Loss & Surrendering Fear
06:00 – Facing Induction and the Mental Battle
10:00 – The Foley Balloon & Labor Begins
16:30 – Praying Through the Fear
25:00 – The Car Ride: Heaven Breaks In
33:00 – Running Up Waves with Jesus
41:00 – Jesus Carries Her
50:00 – Pushing & Arrival of Vivian
56:00 – Naming, Meaning, and Legacy
01:05:00 – This Baby is the Missing Piece
01:12:00 – Joy in Motherhood & Social Media Confidence

Connect with Emily:
Instagram: @emilyvondy
Tiktok: @thevondyfam

Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE 

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...