#50 | 5 Things I'd Do Differently If I Were Giving Birth in 2025
What would I do differently if I gave birth in 2025? In this episode, I’m sharing the 5 powerful shifts I’d make—beyond the usual advice—to transform your birth experience and postpartum recovery. From protecting your mental health to trusting your body’s wisdom and creating a sacred postpartum bubble, this episode is your permission slip to slow down, do less, and reconnect with what truly matters during pregnancy and birth.
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From May 5-12th you can get $60 OFF the Pain Free Birth e-course AND get Birth Partner Bootcamp for FREE ($149 value) when you use code MOTHERSDAY60 at checkout!
Timestamps:
00:00 – The Truth About Birth in 2025
00:36 – Why Today’s Birth Culture Is Overwhelming Moms
01:35 – Intro to the Episode: 5 Things I'd Do Differently in 2025
02:42 – A Personal Update: Meditation Retreat & Mental Health
04:48 – Biggest Sale of the Year for Pain Free Birth
06:46 – Struggling with Anxiety, Brain Fog & Burnout
08:54 – The Transformation from Meditation
11:03 – Mental Health Matters More Than Ever for Moms
14:57 – Why Slowing Down Isn’t Optional Anymore
16:02 – Birth Tip #1: Prioritize Mental & Emotional Health
19:39 – Birth Tip #2: Do Less (And Let Go of the Baby Registry Pressure)
22:01 – Birth Tip #3: Your Body is Wise—Trust It
30:02 – Birth Tip #4: It's Okay to Be Scared—But Don’t Stay There
36:12 – A Word on Programming & Rewriting Your Beliefs About Birth
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
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45:05
#49 | A Supernatural Birth Story - Stormie Fraser
Welcome back to the Pain Free Birth Podcast. Today, I’m interviewing Stormie Fraser. Stormie shares her pain free home birth story and compares it to her first time giving birth in a hospital setting. We also discuss faith and grief as Stormie tragically lost three loved ones while she was pregnant.
Get 10% off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE https://painfreebirth.thrivecart.com/pain-free-birth/
Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:44 - Meet Stormie Fraser
01:26 - From Hospital to Home Birth
05:55 - Stormie Losing Her Dad While Pregnant
14:43 - Prayers and Affirmations
19:29 - What is the Mother-blessing ceremony?
21:19 - The Importance of the Village and Community
25:16 - Faith Through Grief During Pregnancy
28:17 - Christian Hypno-birthing Education with Tara Menzies
29:18 - Stormie’s Birth Story and Why Doulas Write Timestamps of Birth
30:54 - Prodromal Labor
34:05 - Prayers and Wishes for Birth List
35:44 - Taking Ownership of Fear
39:40 - Castor Oil and Induction
42:15 - Pain Free Birth Affirmations and Playlist
46:04 - Letting Go
46:46 - Doulas Utility During Birth, Counter-pressure
49:44 - Doula Training As a New Mom
55:00 - Co-creating Life with God
59:46 - Taking a Moment for Babies to Come Into their Bodies
1:00:46 - Pain Free Delivery
1:04:08 - What’s Possible in Birth
1:06:35 - Outro
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
CONNECT WITH STORMIE
Personal Instagram: @stormiefraser
Humorous, heartfelt nap trap poems on faith, grief, and motherhood: @isthisworthposting.
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1:08:44
#48 | Pregnancy is Meant to Trigger You
Letting Go of Control: The Spiritual Shift of Pregnancy & Birth
Are you an over-preparer who feels like pregnancy is spinning your world out of control? In this powerful solo episode, Karen gets deeply honest about the root of our need to control—and how fear, unresolved trauma, and striving for strength can actually sabotage our birth and motherhood journey.
Learn why pregnancy riggers you on purpose, how hormonal and spiritual changes are designed to surface unhealed pain, and how surrendering control can unlock peace, power, and deeper connection with your body, baby, and God.
This isn't just about managing anxiety—it’s about shifting into your feminine energy, letting go of the masculine mask, and learning to trust again. If you've been battling fear, shame, postpartum depression, or spiritual disconnection, this message will speak directly to your heart.
Get 10% off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE https://painfreebirth.thrivecart.com/pain-free-birth/
Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/
✅ IN THIS EPISODE:
0:00 – Over-preparation as a Symptom of Control
1:22 – The Fear-Tension-Pain Cycle in Labor
4:42 – When Strength Becomes a Wall: The Masculine Mask
10:00 – How Pregnancy Triggers Past Trauma for Healing
16:11 – It’s Okay to Be Needy: Reclaiming the Feminine
20:26 – Why Vulnerability is Attractive & Needed in Pregnancy
26:53 – Hormones as Holy Messengers: The Design of Pregnancy
31:06 – Stop Resisting: Embrace the Blessing of Pregnancy
36:30 – Pain-Free Pregnancy & Coaching Opportunities
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CONNECT WITH KAREN:
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Join the Email List - https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
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40:27
#47 | Introduction to Ecstatic Birth - Yaya DaCosta
Welcome back to the Pain Free Birth Podcast. Today, I’m interviewing Yaya DaCosta, an actor, birth worker, and way shower. We discuss ecstatic birth, Yaya stories giving birth in public in New York City, and how the emotions of Moms during pregnancy can imprint on the psychology and physiology of their babies.
Get 10% off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE https://painfreebirth.thrivecart.com/pain-free-birth/
Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction to Ecstatic Birth
01:15 The Importance of Positive Birth Stories
02:09 Yaya's Personal Journey and Sensitivity
06:30 Navigating Pregnancy in New York City
10:14 The Impact of Maternal Emotions on Babies
12:11 Preparing for a Home Birth
14:49 The Unique Experience of Yaya's Birth
20:16 Laboring in Public: A Walk Through Contractions
25:23 The Moment of Birth: A Transformative Experience
26:58 The Ecstasy of Birth
29:12 Empowering Birth Stories
30:01 The Birth Experience Unfolds
34:11 The Immediate Connection
36:10 The Physiological Instinct of Babies
40:20 Reclaiming Sacred Births
42:37 The Aftermath of Birth
45:03 The Importance of Following Intuition
48:00 Pain Management Techniques
50:47 Addressing Maternal Mortality Rates
51:10 The Importance of Maternal Health Awareness
53:58 Addressing Systemic Issues in Maternal Care
58:02 The Role of Traditional Midwifery
01:01:03 The Black Maternal Health Festival
01:12:01 Cultural Shifts in Birth Practices
Yaya DaCosta’s dynamic talent as an actress has been showcased in powerful performances across film, television and stage productions, including “The Lincoln Lawyer”, “Our Kind of People”, “Chicago Med”, “Whitney” and, most recently, “Not My Family: The Monique Smith Story”. The Brown University graduate is also a producer, birthworker, and wayshower, who is deeply dedicated to contributing to society’s elevation through, art, beauty and magic. Her current Earth mission is to integrate her different callings through the creation and embodiment of empowering narratives that birth a kinder future for women in the entertainment industry, in birth spaces, and on the planet.
the Black Maternal Health Festival, which is from April 11th-17th.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.sumistouch.com/bmhf?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZ-r6Zw-WnMgK4Z_QuZLoJcxYoE3bkTqRWCIVdLdxuNJmlMMqGnYgmhu2Y_aem_3N2VzPaA14_ML097ciLr
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
CONNECT WITH YAYA
instagram.com/yayadacosta
instagram.com/wrapsnraps
wrapsnraps.com
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1:07:20
#46 | Birth is Spiritual, Not Painful - Laurynn Howard
Welcome back to the Pain Free Birth Podcast. Today, I’m interviewing Laurynn Howard, a Mom of 2, Doula and Midwife. We’re speaking about her pain free second birth story, her tips for Mom’s experiencing their first natural birth, and why Western Civilization’s mindset on pain and spirituality is non-resourceful for Moms.
Get 10% off the Pain Free Birth E-course HERE https://painfreebirth.thrivecart.com/pain-free-birth/
Grab the Healing Birth Trauma Course HERE https://painfreebirth.com/healing-birth-trauma/
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:25 - How Laurynn’s First Birth Lit a Fire in Her to do Birth Work
03:53 - Story of Her Pain-Free Second Birth
05:02 - Why Her Second Birth Was Pain Free
07:44 - The Mindset of a Pain Free Birth
09:29 - Emotional Release During Labor
13:36 - Birth is Spiritual, Not Painful
16:25 - Should Women Use Epidurals?
18:38 - The Western Mindset on Pain is Wrong
21:50 - Lessons From Birth
25:29 - Gratitude During a Pain Free Birth
30:25 - Birth Workers Should be Honest
32:16 - Tips for Navigating Hospital Birth
37:58 - On Gender Reveals
39:44 - Laurynn’s Postpartum Experience After a Pain-Free Birth
44:09 - Advice for Moms Doing Their First Natural Birth
45:18 - Outro
CONNECT WITH KAREN:
Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@painfreebirthwithkarenwelton
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/id1696179731
Website - https://painfreebirth.com/
Email List https://pain-free-birth.mykajabi.com/website-opt-in
CONNECT WITH LAURYNN
Instagram.com/fruitofherwombnc
Instagram.com/Lovecatlaur
Fruit of Her Womb Doula Services on fb
Website: fruitofherwomb.org
In the Pain Free Birth Podcast, your host, Karen Welton, invites you to discover the truth about how God brilliantly designed the female body for birth.
Karen is a certified doula, childbirth educator, and coach who teaches women all around the world how to give birth without pain and fear through her online courses and content.
In this show, we geek out about the hormonal physiology of birth, supernatural childbirth, bliss and ecstasy in labor, pregnancy, postpartum, motherhood, and everything in between!
Karen interviews women around the world who share their *jaw-dropping* stories of birth at home, in the hospital, and even in the car! She interviews midwives, doctors, and experts in pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum to share their unique perspectives.
We’ve been taught to view birth as scary and traumatic or an “emergency waiting to happen.” In this show, you will discover a whole new perspective of what’s possible in birth when we remove fear, stop trying to contro...
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