From Terrified of Birth to Two Empowering Natural Births | Ep 19: Annaliese's Birth Story
Built To Birth PodcastShow Notes
What if you’re terrified of giving birth but desperately want a positive, empowering birth experience? In this episode of the Built to Birth Podcast, Bridget sits down with Annaliese to share her journey through pregnancy, miscarriage, pregnancy after loss, fear of childbirth, and two empowering, positive natural birth experiences.
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Before becoming a mom, Annaliese was afraid of pregnancy and birth. After an unexpected pregnancy ended in miscarriage, becoming pregnant again brought both excitement and anxiety. She began intentionally preparing for birth through education, positive birth stories, breathing techniques, and learning how to trust her body. That preparation ultimately led to an unmedicated birth center birth with her first baby—and an experience that completely changed the way she viewed childbirth. During her next pregnancy, however, a new fear emerged: an overwhelming anxiety that something would happen to her baby during birth. Annaliese shares how she navigated those fears through prayer, positive affirmations, birth education, and intentionally filling her mind with encouraging birth stories. Her second labor then unfolded incredibly quickly, leading to a fast water birth at a birth center and an intense first few moments after her baby was born. Annaliese and Bridget talk honestly about pregnancy anxiety, pregnancy after miscarriage, overcoming fear of birth, natural childbirth, unmedicated labor, water birth, birth center birth, breathing techniques for labor, doulas, midwifery care, partner support, and preparing mentally for childbirth. If you’re pregnant and feeling scared or overwhelmed by birth, Annaliese’s story is a beautiful reminder of how much can change when fear is met with education, preparation, support, and trust.
In this episode: Overcoming fear of pregnancy and childbirth Pregnancy after miscarriage and navigating anxiety Preparing for a positive birth experience Breathing techniques for labor Annaliese’s first unmedicated birth center birth Giving birth in an upright position Preparing for a second natural birth Her incredibly fast second labor Her birth center water birth When her baby needed help immediately after birth How her midwives responded The role of a doula and supportive husband Why positive birth stories can matter during pregnancy Using birth education to replace fear with confidence
More from Built To Birth Podcast
In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep. 26), Dana shares her journey through five very different births—from an unexpected C-section to two successful VBACs, culminating in the empowering, unmedicated hospital birth she had always hoped for. ✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcastdana ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcastdana ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcastdana 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register
In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast (Ep 25), Anna shares her hands-off, unmedicated positive hospital birth story at 42 weeks. ✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast 🌱 The Holistic Womanhood Course - https://holisticwomanhood.com/ 🩸 Free 'Heal Your Menstrual Cycle' Workshop - https://holisticwomanhood.com/period-register In this episode (#24) of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah went into her first pregnancy believing birth would probably look like what she had always seen—rushing to the hospital, getting an epidural, and hoping everything went okay. But as she learned more about natural birth, everything began to change. After feeling dismissed in her original care, Hannah and her husband decided to step outside what everyone around them had done and switch to a birth center. That decision came with plenty of opinions—including people telling her that because of her size and the possibility of a big baby, she wouldn't be able to give birth naturally and would need a C-section. In this episode of the Built To Birth Podcast, Hannah shares how she went from fearing birth to trusting her body, preparing for an unmedicated birth, going past her due date, and ultimately having an empowering natural water birth at a birth center. She talks about what helped her through contractions, how water completely changed her labor, what it felt like when her body began pushing on its own, and the moment she reached down and felt her baby's head. And perhaps the best part? Moments after her daughter was born, Hannah looked at her husband and said, “I want to do this again.” If you're preparing for birth—whether you're planning a hospital birth, birth center birth, or home birth—I hope Hannah's story reminds you how powerful it can be to educate yourself, build a team you trust, and make the decisions that feel right for your family.
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast
✅ The Built To Birth Class - https://builttobirth.com/?el=podcast ✅ Free Mini Birth Class - https://www.builttobirth.com/free-mini-birth-class/?el=podcast ✅ Free Week-By-Week Pregnancy Guide - https://www.builttobirth.com/week-by-week-pregnancy/?el=podcast