Pain Free Birth

What if birth didn’t have to be something you “push through”… but something you fully surrender to? 
In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Zatha Aiken, a former U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence Officer turned stay-at-home mom of three, who shares her incredible journey from control, compliance, and “pushing through” to complete surrender, trust, and experiencing a pain-free birth.
After her first birth within the medical system and a second free birth, Zatha entered her third birth with a radically different mindset: instead of bracing against the sensations, she chose to fully feel them. What followed was a deeply spiritual, fully present, and pain-free birth experience that transformed not just how she views birth, but how she experiences life, emotion, and her relationship with God. 
This episode is an exploration of the fear-tension-pain cycle, the shift from masculine to feminine energy in birth, and what becomes possible when women release fear and trust their bodies as they were designed.
Tune in to hear:
 Zatha’s journey from military conditioning and compliance to full bodily autonomy 
 Why she initially saw birth as something to “push through” like any other challenge 
 The moment everything shifted from control to surrender in her third birth 
 How understanding physiology changed her entire perception of pain 
 The powerful mantra that transformed her experience: “Feel it, don’t fear it”
 Why pain in birth is often tied to fear not the sensations themselves 
 What it actually means to experience a pain-free birth (and why it’s not what you think) 
 The role of awareness, curiosity, and presence in eliminating fear during labor 
 How her birth journey mirrored a deeper spiritual healing and emotional transformation 
 Why she believes pain-free birth is possible for every woman 

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 would you do if doctors told you to abort one of your twins… with no medical reason?
In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Victoria McGuckin, a mom of three who shares her incredible twin home birth story.
After being labeled “high risk” and pressured into a highly medicalized birth plan, Victoria chose a different path rooted in faith, trust, and physiological birth. Her story is a powerful reminder that birth is not something happening to you. It’s something your body was designed to do, even in situations the world calls “high risk.”
Tune in to hear:
What happened when doctors asked if she wanted to abort one of her twins
Why hospital protocols for twins often lead to unnecessary C-sections
The mindset shift that replaced fear with peace during her pregnancy
How she prepared her body physically for a twin birth
The moment she went from 1 cm to 9 cm instantly during labor
Why oxytocin (not control) was the key to her labor progressing
What pushing actually felt like during a twin birth
How baby #2 was born just minutes after the first
The truth about “pain” vs. intensity in labor
What postpartum life with twins really looks like (including sleep + breastfeeding!)
Encouragement for moms navigating fear, pressure, or “high-risk” labels
Resources Mentioned:
Birthing Instincts podcast (Dr. Stu)
Connect with Victoria:
@wholebirthwellneswithvic
@victoria_alexandra_mcguckin

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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

What if your second birth could be completely different from your first...even after a long, difficult hospital birth?
In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen sits down with Sarah Tollison, a nurse and mom of two from South Carolina, who shares the incredible story of her 45-minute, pain-free birth. After experiencing a 36-hour hospital birth with her first baby, Sarah hoped her second birth would be different , but she never expected labor to progress so quickly.
Sarah shares what it was like to experience the fetal ejection reflex, how learning about birth physiology transformed her confidence, and why her mindset going into her second birth made such a difference. Her story is a powerful reminder that one difficult birth does not define future births and that the body is capable of far more than many women realize.
 
Tune in to hear:
Sarah’s first birth experience and why it lasted 36 hours in the hospital
How hospital protocols and interventions impacted her first labor
Why she chose a birth center and midwife for her second birth
How she caught her own baby during a completely unexpected unassisted birth
What the fetal ejection reflex felt like during labor
Why the birth was nearly pain-free despite being extremely fast
How watching positive birth stories changed her mindset about birth
The difference between preparing for birth in fear vs preparing in trust
Why childbirth education can transform the way women experience labor
How recovery differed after a physiological birth without pushing
Encouragement for moms hoping for a redeeming birth after a difficult first experience
Connect with Sarah: @Sarah.tollison.rn
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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Facebook
YouTube

Are you preparing for birth by gathering more information… but still feeling anxious and overwhelmed?
In this episode of the Pain Free Birth Podcast, Karen dives into one of the most common mistakes first-time moms make when preparing for childbirth: focusing almost entirely on gathering information instead of regulating the nervous system. While education is valuable, Karen explains how consuming too much information (especially when it’s filtered through fear or anxiety) can actually dysregulate the nervous system and create more stress around birth.
This episode invites pregnant mothers to shift their focus from over-preparing mentally to learning how to regulate their nervous system and reconnect with the wisdom of their bodies. Karen also walks listeners through simple ways to check in with their bodies, identify hidden fears or tension, and begin cultivating the calm, parasympathetic state that supports physiological birth.
Tune in to hear:
The nervous system mistake many first-time moms make when preparing for birth
Why information overload can actually increase anxiety during pregnancy
How the fight-or-flight response can stall labor and increase pain
Why birth happens best in a parasympathetic “rest and receive” state
The connection between nervous system regulation and oxytocin production
How fear, tension, and anxiety in the body can show up during labor
Practical ways to begin regulating your nervous system during pregnancy
Why preparing your body is just as important as preparing your mind
How learning to surrender and release control can transform your birth experience
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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Facebook
YouTube

What happens when you learn to meet the power of contractions instead of fearing them?
In this episode of the Pain-Free Birth Podcast, Karen welcomes Petronella, a first-time mom from Sweden who shares her incredible pain-free home birth story. Despite home birth being rare in Sweden, Petronella followed her intuition and chose to give birth in the place where she felt safest (her own home).
Petronella describes how years of hearing positive birth stories from her mother and witnessing friends give birth shaped her belief that birth could be empowering, natural, and even enjoyable. During her pregnancy, she intentionally prepared by listening to countless birth stories, studying the physiology of birth, and connecting deeply with her body and intuition.
This episode beautifully illustrates how preparation, mindset, and trust in the body’s design can transform the birth experience.
Tune in to hear: 
Why Petronella chose a home birth in Sweden, where home births are uncommon
How early exposure to positive birth stories shaped her mindset about childbirth
The importance of preparing for birth before pregnancy
How listening to birth stories can help reframe fear and build confidence
What it means to “meet the power” of contractions during labor
How vocalizing and using the voice can support cervical dilation during birth
Why creating a safe and peaceful birth environment matters
The role of intuition and trusting your body during labor
What pushing felt like for Petronella and why she actually enjoyed that stage
How relaxation and surrender can help prevent tearing during birth
The emotional moment of meeting her baby after a peaceful home birth
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
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube