Pregnancy & Birth Made Easy

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!
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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
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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!

"It's our birthright to be deeply connected to our babies and to grow from it." - Dr. Kirshenbaum
What if the most important thing you could do for your baby’s brain… isn’t something you buy, schedule, or optimize — but in the way you nurture & feel?
This week, I sit down with Dr. Greer Kirshenbaum — neuroscientist, author of The Nurture Revolution, and former doula — to talk about what modern neuroscience says about pregnancy, birth, infant sleep, and the first three years of life. We talk about how your emotional experiences during pregnancy shape your baby’s brain, why nurture is not “soft” but biologically essential, and what moms really need to know about stress, bonding, sleep training, and early brain development.
If you’ve ever worried about doing enough, getting it right, or messing up your baby, you're going to love this discussion and I hope more than anything, it puts your mind at ease. I feel like I cannot say this enough, but YOU are the perfect mother for your baby AND you're doing better than you think you are!
Here’s some highlights from the episode:
 • How pregnancy experiences shape your baby’s brain before birth
 • The neuroscience behind what doulas do in the birth and postpartum space
 • Why the first 0–3 years are the most critical window for emotional and mental health
 • What “nurture” really means from a brain-based perspective
 • Dr. Kirshenbaum’s views on infant sleep and why she questions sleep training
 • What’s considered normal for baby sleep around the world
• How mothers can regulate stress — for themselves and their babies
• Why soothing your baby also soothes your own nervous system
• What happens if early nurture wasn’t ideal (and why there’s still so much hope)
• The core message of The Nurture Revolution and how it supports modern motherhood
This episode is a beautiful reminder that you don’t have to be perfect to raise a healthy, secure, thriving baby. If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or even just thinking about motherhood, this conversation will leave you feeling calmer, more confident, and deeply validated in the most important role you’ll ever have.
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
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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!

“Don’t lift your arms over your head.”
“First babies always come late.”
“Hospital birth is the only safe option.”
If you’re pregnant, you may have already heard at least one of these — maybe from a well-meaning family member… or maybe from your doctor.
In this episode, we’re having a little fun (and a lot of truth-telling) as we walk through 16 of the most common pregnancy and birth myths, from the 1940s all the way to today. Some are funny. Some are outdated. And some are still quietly shaping how women experience pregnancy and birth — without even realizing it.
If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this actually true… or just something people say?"... this one's for you!
Here are some highlights from the episode:
• Why lifting your arms, moving your body, and even sex during pregnancy became taboo
• The truth behind weight gain, cravings, and “eating for two”
• The real history of being put to sleep for labor (and why informed consent matters)
• How formula marketing, induction convenience, and medical authority shaped modern birth
• Why questioning your provider is not only okay — it’s important
• What actually happens with water breaking, due dates, and first babies
• The myths surrounding epidurals, C-sections, and “forgetting the pain”
• Why instant bonding doesn’t happen for everyone — and why that’s normal
Some will make you laugh, others will have you shaking your head...all of them will be debunked 😉 
Let's keep the conversation going...send me the craziest, funniest, or downright concerning myths you've heard! 
IG @myessentialbirth 
email: [email protected]
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!