Pain Free Birth

What happens when a woman stops outsourcing her intuition and starts trusting her body?In this episode, Karen sits down with Polina Westcott, creator of Sensible Mama, to share two transformative home birth stories that radically changed the way Polina views birth, fear, pain, and personal authority.Polina opens up about her first pregnancy, where everything seemed medically “normal” until routine testing suddenly turned her pregnancy into a problem to be managed. When questioning protocols led to pushback from her providers, Polina made the bold decision to fire her OB team at eight months pregnant and pivot to a home birth. What followed was a long, challenging, and deeply empowering first labor that revealed strength she never knew she had.Her second birth could not have been more different. She shares how mindset, education, and surrender completely transformed how her body responded to contractions and labor progression. This episode dives deep into birth autonomy, informed consent, intuition, and the mind-body connection in labor. Tune in to hear:Why Polina chose to fire her OB team late in pregnancyHow questioning medical authority led her to reclaim birth autonomyWhat really happens during transition and why many women want to “tap out”The doula moment that changed everything during her first laborHow mindset radically altered her second birth experienceWhat fetal ejection reflex actually feels like in real lifeWhy trusting intuition protected her during the third stage of laborHow fear, resistance, and control affect labor progressionWhy birth can be an initiation into motherhood, strength, and self-trustConnect with Polina:Www.sensiblemama.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@sensible_mamaIG: @sensible_mamaCONNECT WITH KAREN:Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREInstagramFacebookYouTube

What if pain, stress, and even birth trauma weren’t things your body needed to “push through”, but signals your nervous system was asking for safety?In this powerful and deeply grounding episode, Karen sits down with Dr. Scherina Alli, a network spinal chiropractor specializing in nervous system regulation, somatic respiratory integration, and care for pregnant women, babies, and children.Together, they explore how the body holds emotional stress, why babies are communicating far more than we realize, and how nervous system regulation can transform pregnancy, birth, postpartum healing, and even fertility. Dr. Scherina also shares her own beautiful home birth story. One rooted in trust, presence, and deep connection with her body offering a refreshing and empowering perspective on what birth can be when women feel safe, supported, and embodied.Tune in to hear:How the nervous system stores emotional stress and trauma in the bodyWhy “colic” is often a sign of nervous system dysregulation, not a diagnosisThe difference between traditional chiropractic care and network spinal careHow babies communicate stress, tension, and discomfort without wordsWhy babies don’t “grow out of” nervous system stress How pregnancy and birth experiences shape a baby’s lifelong nervous system blueprintThe role of breath, movement, and pelvic mobility in preparing for birthHow unprocessed emotions can impact pregnancy, fertility, and laborDr. Scherina’s calm, fast, and deeply present home birth storyWhy presence (not avoidance) is the key to an empowered birth experienceHow women can rebuild trust in their bodies after trauma or infertilitySimple ways to recognize stress versus safety in your own nervous systemCONNECT WITH DR SCHERINA:Follow Dr. Scherina on Instagram: @drscherinaWebsite: drscherina.comNetwork Spinal Chiropractor Directory: https://www.drscherina.com/directoryPX Docs Directory for neurologically focused prenatal and pediatric chiropractors: https://pxdocs.com/px-docs/CONNECT WITH KAREN:Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREInstagramFacebookYouTube

In this of the Pain Free Birth podcast, Karen Welton sits down with Anastasia Malyk, a mother of four, to share one of the most jaw-dropping birth stories you will ever hear.After experiencing two prior free births, Anastasia found herself unexpectedly pregnant with mono-di identical twins just seven months postpartum. What followed was a journey marked by medical pressure, fear-based recommendations, spiritual surrender, and unwavering trust in God’s design for her body.This episode is a bold testimony of faith, bodily wisdom, and the importance of advocacy in pregnancy and birth. It is especially encouraging for twin moms, women navigating medical pressure, and anyone seeking reassurance that physiological birth is possible, even when circumstances seem stacked against you. In this episode, you’ll hear:What led Anastasia to choose free birth for her first two babiesHow she navigated fear and faith after learning she was pregnant with twinsWhy she fired her OB after being pressured into a cesareanWhat it was like carrying twins past 41 weeksHow labor progressed so quickly she didn’t believe it was realWhat it felt like to birth twins with no pushing and no painHow faith shaped every decision throughout pregnancy and birthEncouragement for twin moms who desire a natural or physiological birthConnect with Anastasia:IG: Anastasiamalyk_TikTok: @anachenkoCONNECT WITH KAREN:Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREInstagramFacebookYouTube

What happens when you stop fighting labor and start working with your body? In today’s episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Mallory Ryan, a mom of two who shares her deeply transformative birth experiences. Mallory walks listeners through her first unmedicated birth at a birth center and her second, rapid home birth that she describes as joyful, empowering, and profoundly connected to God’s design for birth.Whether you are pregnant, preparing for birth, or simply curious about physiological birth and faith-filled preparation, this episode will leave you feeling encouraged, informed, and inspired to trust your body and God’s design.Tune in to hear:Why Mallory chose unmedicated birth for both of her babiesHow learning the physiology of birth helped reduce fear and painThe role mindset and relaxation play in labor intensityWhy fast labors are not always more painfulHow choosing joy impacts oxytocin and birth progressWhat a “butter birth” is and how surrender changes pushingHow faith influenced Mallory’s confidence during laborThe difference between pain and suffering in childbirthWhy birth is not something happening to you, but within youHow empowering births shape confidence in motherhood and postpartumCONNECT WITH KAREN:Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREGrab Karen's Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE. This course is for any woman experiencing trauma in the body. If you're ready to release it, this course is for you. InstagramFacebookYouTube

Tara Menzies, creator of the Christian Hypnobirthing app and Faith-Filled Childbirth Course, blends hypnobirthing techniques with Christian faith to help women feel calm and confident. She recounts a transformative first birth, building the app after a spiritual breakthrough, and how daily tracks changed her second birth. Topics include cultivating peace during pregnancy, prenatal imprinting on babies, faith-led cesarean preparation, and using hypnobirthing beyond labor.

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS IS LIVE! https://resources.painfreebirth.com/pfb-12-days-of-christmasIn this episode, Alla shares her miraculous twin home birth story - giving birth precipitously to healthy babies at 38 weeks pregnant in her bathtub and overcoming fear so she could have a supernatural birth experience through prayer and trust in God.CONNECT WITH KAREN:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/ Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731Website - https://painfreebirth.com/ 

What if your next birth didn’t have to look anything like your last one and could actually be better?In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Blake, a mom of four who shares her incredible journey from a discouraging first C-section to three transformative home births after cesarean.Blake walks listeners through each birth from a 77-hour marathon VBAC to a three-hour birth and finally a two-hour labor where she felt completely in control. Along the way, she opens up about healing hidden birth trauma, learning to trust her body, choosing supportive providers, and experiencing the redemptive power of faith-centered birth preparation.Tune in to hear:What led Blake to her first C-section and how it impacted her confidenceHow she identified and healed birth trauma she didn’t realize she was carryingWhat it was like laboring for 77 hours during her first home birth after cesareanHow her next birth lasted just three hours with almost no pushingWhy her babies got bigger AND her births got easierThe role mindset, faith, and emotional release played in shortening laborHow choosing the right midwife changed everythingThe power of a supportive husband during home birthWhat it feels like to birth standing up and fully in controlWhy Blake believes women are not destined to repeat their birth traumaUse code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREGrab Karen's Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE. This course is for any woman experiencing trauma in the body. If you're ready to release it, this course is for you. CONNECT WITH KAREN:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/ Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731Website - https://painfreebirth.com/ 

Karen Strange, a midwife and neonatal resuscitation instructor who has trained over 17,000 birth professionals, brings a trauma-informed, baby-centered lens. She explores the embryological blueprint and natural pacing of birth. Short pauses, prenatal imprinting, repair after rupture, newborn first breaths, and simple prenatal bonding tools are highlighted in lively, practical conversation.

What if birth wasn’t something to fear… but a place where heaven meets earth? In today’s episode, Caitlin Svoboda shares a supernatural, pain-free home birth story that will leave you breathless.In this interview, Caitlin opens up about her sixth pregnancy, her deep trust in God’s design for birth, and the unexpected spiritual encounter that forever changed how she views motherhood. From spiritual visions and the “veil of heaven” thinning, to a fast, instinct-led labor and a peaceful 10-pound baby born into her husband’s hands, Caitlin’s story is a breathtaking look at what can happen when women reclaim physiological birth and trust the God-designed hormonal blueprint of labor. If you've ever wondered how spiritual encounters, altered states of consciousness, and the quietude phase of labor fit into the birth experience, this episode breaks it down with both awe and practicality. You’ll walk away with encouragement, revelation, and a renewed sense of what God intended birth to be.Tune in to hear:How losing a baby shaped Caitlin’s faith and future pregnanciesWhy she chose an undisturbed home birth with no medical interventionsThe moment she surrendered fully and slipped into a transcendent stateHer vivid vision of Jesus walking toward her holding an infantThe role of safety, support, and environment in physiological birthWhat the “quietude/rest-and-be-thankful” phase actually feels likeHow she gave birth to a 10-pound baby with no tearingWhy she believes this experience transformed her marriage and identityThe truth about pain in childbirth from a biblical and physiological lensConnect with Caitlin:sehlahmomservices.comIG: sehlah.motherhood.service Use code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREGrab Karen's Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE. This course is for any woman experiencing trauma in the body. If you're ready to release it, this course is for you. CONNECT WITH KAREN:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/ Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731Website - https://painfreebirth.com/ 

What happens when a traumatic first birth becomes the catalyst for two radically pain-free, God-filled home births? Today’s episode is a powerful testimony of redemption, physiology, faith, and a mother reclaiming her God-given authority in birth. In this conversation, Karen sits down with Sara Gilboy, a mom of three from Toronto, Canada, who experienced a deeply traumatic first home birth during COVID-complete with medical coercion, fear, hemorrhage, separation from her baby, and months of postpartum anxiety and intrusive thoughts. But Sara refused to let that be the end of her story. She returned to birth armed with knowledge, prayer, physiological understanding, and a fierce sense of ownership that transformed her next two births into supernatural, pain-free, joy-filled experiences. Tune in to hear:How Sara's first home birth turned traumatic and why she “felt the fear through her uterus”The spiritual battle of intrusive thoughts and how she learned to take each one captiveWhy “knowledge is power” completely changed her second and third birthsHow she created two entirely pain-free births using physiology, relaxation, and faithWhat she told her midwives the second time that changed everything (“This is the birth I’m going to have…”)Her children worshipping and praying over her during laborThe moment her pelvic floor “parted like the Red Sea”How God replaced her disappointment with joy instantly during her third birthThe connection between birth trauma and postpartum mental healthWhy understanding your physiology is essential no matter where you give birthUse code PODCAST to get $50 off the Pain Free Birth E-course HEREGrab Karen's Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE. This course is for any woman experiencing trauma in the body. If you're ready to release it, this course is for you. CONNECT WITH KAREN:Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/painfreebirth Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/painfreebirth/ Spotify Podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/5zEiKMIHFewZeVdzfBSEMS Apple Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/pain-free-birth/id1696179731Website - https://painfreebirth.com/