Pain Free Birth

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?

Disclaimer: This podcast is educational and is not individualized medical advice. Discuss your specific circumstances, including suspected macrosomia, gestational diabetes, induction, and shoulder dystocia risk, with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE
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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
Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE 
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 prepare for birth with everything you have, only to discover that the final lesson is letting go?
In this powerful birth testimony, Pain Free Birth doula-in-training Annelisa shares how five weeks of prodromal labor, an almost 42-week pregnancy, and a deeply personal journey of surrender led to an unforgettable birth. After a difficult first hospital birth and a redemptive second birth center experience, Annelisa entered her third birth equipped with a new understanding of physiological birth, her body, and the role fear can play in the birth experience.
But nothing unfolded the way she had planned. Her carefully prepared birth room and birth pool were left untouched. Instead, after sleeping through what she believes was transition, Annelisa woke to intense pelvic pressure and realized her baby was coming much faster than anyone expected. With her midwife still on the way, her husband beside her, and a perfectly positioned mirror in the shower, she watched her baby emerge while standing and allowing her body’s fetal ejection reflex to do the work.
Tune in to hear:
How Annelisa’s first difficult hospital birth influenced the births that followed
The difference birth education made in how she experienced contractions
What five weeks of prodromal labor looked like for her
Why being 41 weeks and 6 days challenged her desire for control
The prayer under the stars that completely shifted her mindset
How addressing emotional tension helped her feel safe enough to surrender
Why her contractions progressed without feeling painful
How cuddling her son helped her relax enough to fall asleep during labor
Why Annelisa believes she may have slept through transition
What happened when her husband could not get the birth pool filled
The moment her body entered the fetal ejection reflex
How she watched her baby crown and emerge using a mirror in the shower
What happened when her baby was born with the cord around her neck
How the experience transformed her husband’s view of physiological birth
Why preparation and surrender are not opposites
What this birth taught Annelisa about trusting God, her baby, and her body
Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE 
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 could feel peaceful, natural, and so deeply joyful that you were actually sad when labor ended?
In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Abby Nees, an Iowa mom who experienced two pain-free home births. During her first birth, Abby followed her intuition, remained calm when her midwives did not arrive in time, and caught her own baby in the birth tub. Rather than feeling afraid, she trusted the physiological process unfolding within her body.
Abby also shares how these births inspired her to become a doula, catch her friend’s baby, and begin pursuing a future calling toward midwifery.
Tune in to hear:
How Abby’s intuition accurately prepared her for a fast first birth
Why hospital water birth policies led her to consider home birth
The simple explanation of uterine contractions that removed her fear
How positive birth stories and physiological birth education shaped her mindset
What Abby did during early and active labor with her first baby
How she remained calm when her midwives did not arrive in time
What it felt like to catch her own baby in the birth tub
Why she describes her first birth as peaceful, natural, and pain-free
How relaxed, physiological pushing affected her postpartum recovery
Why her second birth felt emotionally intense without being physically painful
How breathwork and prenatal yoga helped her release tension
What the fetal ejection reflex felt like during her second birth
Why Abby believes women should protect their minds from fear-based birth stories
How her birth experiences inspired her to become a doula
The incredible story of catching her first baby while serving as a doula
How Abby’s experiences confirmed her future calling toward midwifery
CONNECT WITH ABBY:
Instagram: harvesthopedoula
Website: Harvest Hope Doula

Join Karen's Doula Certification Waitlist HERE 

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 childbirth was not something you had to fear, endure, or simply survive?
In this deeply personal and hope-filled conversation, Karen Welton joins Emily  Smaczniak from the Beyond the Pain Podcast to explore the physiology, mindset, and heart preparation behind an empowered birth. Karen shares how her own journey from fear to mostly pain-free home births led her to become a doula, birth educator, and creator of the Pain-Free Birth course.
Together, Karen and Emily discuss pregnancy and birth after stillbirth, the desire for a redemptive birth experience, and how women can prepare for physiological birth even within a hospital setting. They also unpack the fear-tension-pain cycle, the physical effects of gratitude, the importance of releasing hidden fears, and why your internal environment can have a greater impact on labor than your external circumstances.
Tune in to hear:
How Karen’s fear of childbirth led her to research pain-free and physiological birth
Why birth pain is not always inevitable
The connection between fear, tension, stress hormones, and labor pain
How oxytocin and endorphins support the body during childbirth
What Scripture may actually communicate about pain and sorrow in childbirth
Why birth is not a random event that simply happens to you
How to balance personal responsibility with surrender during labor
What a redemptive birth can look like after stillbirth or pregnancy loss
Why women cannot always “logic” their way out of fear after trauma
How gratitude can help shift the nervous system during contractions
Why the internal environment can override a difficult hospital environment
How to prepare for a natural, physiological birth in a hospital
The importance of choosing a trauma-informed provider, doula, or midwife
Why honest communication can help release tension and support labor progress
How practicing discomfort can teach the brain to respond differently to pain
Practical ways to move from fear and resistance into trust and partnership with your body
CONNECT WITH EMILY:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-pain-heart-and-home-healing-after-loss/id1779756290
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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