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Show Notes:

[2:18] This week's Reviewer of the Week is klsid86, and she said: "The Best Birth Podcast! I’ve listened to hundreds if not thousands of hours of birth podcasts in the past 5 years. I’m pregnant with my second and a self-confessed birth nerd. I only recently found this podcast, and I have to say it’s quickly become my favorite. A great mix of information and humor. I appreciate every episode!"

[3:08] - Mark and Laura Rowdon have been married for four and a half years and have been living in Japan for the past year. They currently serve as missionaries working at an English conversation school. They had first son two months ago so the birth story is fresh in their minds! They started taking the My Essential Birth Course halfway through the pregnancy.

[4:58] Laura had a smooth pregnancy experience overall. Because they were in Japan, things were just different culturally, and Laura wanted to give birth at a birth center because they allowed the freedom of movement, but ...

Show Notes

[1:11] - Our Reviewer of the Week is Amelia R.P. and she says, "I am pregnant and thriving! First time Mama! I know I wanted a natural birth, a birth center or a home birth but that was just because that’s how I was raised. My sister had done it too, I figured I should probably look into it and see what I wanted for myself and this was able to remind me why they did it and why I was considering it as well! Thanks for all the different views and ways of having babies had no clue there was such a variety of ways to do everything!!!!! Six weeks away from the due date, and my husband and I have such joy and praise God for every bit of the journey so far!" 💜

2:00 - Our guest is Amanda Warnsholz, a first time mama and nurse, from Michigan. Her husband is a PA, and her daughter, Willow, is just over a year old.

3:08 - Amanda's medical background played a role in how she chose to birth. One of her coworkers helped her find her OB, but she knew she wanted to approach her birth and...

Show Notes:

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, awisemomof5, said: “This Podcast is AWESOME!!! I have six boys, two adopted and four biological. I have listened to this podcast throughout my last two pregnancies. I wish I found it sooner!!!!!!! I have had four very different births. One I didn’t prepare for, one I did, and then the last two I started preparing the moment I found out I was pregnant. I listened to this podcast almost daily and even re-listened to episodes in order to soak up all of the knowledge possible. I did the exercises and ate a very careful diet. However, probably the most important takeaway from this podcast was that even though I prepared, things may not go the way I planned. Boy, with my last two, they sure did not go the way I was planning and preparing. Having educated myself and knowing the options when things got crazy made a huge difference. I’m so thankful that God allowed me to discover this podcast as it was invaluable, and so thankful for God’s hand o...

Show Notes:

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, ygbsbjx, said, “Hi, Stephanie! I’m in my third trimester and was very determined to not study up too much about giving birth just to preserve the mystery and romance and natural process of it. Then I stumbled upon this podcast and now I can’t help but listen to every episode and am taking the online birth course. I can’t believe all of the information I have learned and now I have SOOOOO many questions for my next prenatal appointment. I also feel empowered that although I won’t be having a home birth (due to my husband’s concerns) I know enough now to advocate for myself in the hospital to have the best birth I can try to have! I had no idea how many options, choices and decisions there are to be made that no one even talks to you about! Thank you!

I’m thankful that you have come to the podcast and learning about birth! I love the idea of the mystery of birth and preserving the romance, but I also love that you are here and doing the h...

Show Notes:

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, namesbrr.johnson, said “Fantastic podcast, through and through! Hi, Stephanie! I found out I was pregnant with my first last March. Your podcast was recommended to me by a friend as she knew I was interested in a “natural” birth. Though my initial desire was there, you were the influence that fully converted me! From the first episode, I was hooked. And thanks to slyly listening to one of your episodes while my husband was in the room, you sparked his interest. Before that, he was unconvinced that a home birth would be safe. He has now become a fully converted advocate for natural childbirth. You were the catalyst that led us to 3 different birth courses worth of knowledge, and it seemed like whenever I had a question those other courses didn’t answer, you knew! Because you’d release an episode that week on the very thing I needed help with. I hope you know how inspired you are! Armed with knowledge and as many tools as I could gather le...

 Show Notes:

[1:11] Our review of the week, sls610, said: “First podcast I listened to while pregnant! I LOVE this podcast! I’ve been listening to it for about 2 months since finding out I was pregnant, and it’s been so helpful in teaching me all the different things to think about for labor and delivery. I started from the beginning and hope to listen to all the episodes before I’m due in June! Stephanie’s ethos for birth is so similar to how I’m thinking about it (holistic combined with western medicine practices) so I feel right at home with this podcast. I even signed up for the My Essential Birth course, and my husband and I are starting tonight! So excited!! Thank you for all the helpful info!”

Thank you for this review and jumping into the course! I love hearing when you guys tell me you started listening to the very beginning episodes! We’re almost 200 episodes in! You’re doing the work and having incredible birth experiences! 💜

An unmedicated birth experience doesn't jus...

Show Notes:

Educating yourself about birth and knowing your options opens you up to so many more choices when it comes to the birth experience you want! Marin's birth story shows the importance of not only educating yourself, but also on staying firm with your choices and decisions on what is best for you and your baby. 

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week, Vandp13, says: “Best podcast AND host! I am just entering the 3rd trimester of my 3rd pregnancy, and I am a self proclaimed birth and breastfeeding nut. I found this podcast when I was about 10 weeks pregnant, and I have been binging ever since - some episodes I even listen to 5+ times! She is so good at giving pregnant mamas all their options and empowering them to advocate for themselves! I reached out to Stephanie on Instagram, and she replied so quickly and didn’t give me a ‘one size fits all’ answer. She asked me questions so she could answer me specifically, which I thought was amazing! I can’t wait to join the birth course a...

Show Notes:

[1:10] This week’s reviewer of the week, hellotrb, said: “Starting listening during my first pregnancy and fell in love. Through the encouragement of this podcast, I switched my provider at 32weeks. I doubted my feeling about the previous provider, and once I switched, it was like a breath of fresh air. Now pregnant with my second kiddo and have started again to listen to this amazing podcast!”

I’m so glad you’re here and listening to this week’s birth story! There is so much to unpack and learn here! 💜

Instead of letting birth just "happen" to you, be an active participant in it! Educate yourself, know your options, and stand up for yourself! Your baby and your body are working together to help you achieve your best birth. ✨

[1:53] Cassidy Jacobsen introduces herself and her family. She’s been married for six years and is a mama of two! She originally lived in Utah and moved to Texas so her husband could attend medical school. Their family enjoys all the outdoor act...

Show Notes:

[1:11:] Our reviewer of the week, Leliz86, says: “Still in preconception here! 🙋🏼‍♀️ I stumbled upon this podcast when I started searching for meaningful and educational podcasts that fit my hopes and dreams for my first time pregnancy at 36! I love the content - I feel so informed and empowered to make all the decisions, prepare myself to be my healthiest for me and my baby! I absolutely love that there’s even episodes that help new dads! I can’t wait to sign up for the birth course and love that they cover pregnancy, some preconception health, and birth stories! Determined to listen to every single episode - Thank you for all that you do! ❤️

We love when we're able to hear from both mama and birth partner about the birth experience! Justina and Kace Knowles share about the unmedicated birth of their son in a hospital and how their faith, communication, and the birth course prepared them.

[2:30] Justina and Kace Knowles introduce themselves. Justina taught third grade a...

Show Notes:

[1:11] Our reviewer of the week is Madi Mackley, and she said: “I started listening to the podcast as soon as I found out I was pregnant. My goal was to give birth at the hospital with a walking epidural, and I was hoping to be induced. After listening to every episode and learning every unbiased aspect of birth, my perspective changed, and I had an unmedicated birth at a birth center at 41 weeks and 1 day! I owe it all to this podcast and the My Essential Birth course for achieving the birth I wanted! :) Just found out baby number 2 is on the way and it’s time to start listening to every episode again!

We’ve had Madi on our podcast before, and she shared her birth story! You can listen to it here! Thank you to all of those who love listening to the podcast and who have left a review! 💜

While it's so important to be prepared for birth, labor, and delivery, at the end of the day, you need to get out of your own way! You can do all the things, but your body knows what i...