Birth Plans vs. Birth Vibes: Real-Life Tips for a Hospital Birth That Feels Good with Jen Hamilton | Episode 50

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with the one and only Jen Hamilton - labor and delivery nurse, viral content creator, and now author of Birth Vibes. She’s the recipient of the 2026 President’s Award from the American Nurses Association, and continues to use her platform to educate, uplift, and humanize the realities of nursing, patient care, and mental health. With over a decade of bedside experience and a massive online community, Jen is known for blending clinical expertise with real-life honesty, humor, and so much heart. And truly, that’s exactly what you’re getting in this conversation. We talk about her unexpected journey from ER nurse to L&D, how she built a platform that resonates with millions, and what it’s been like stepping into the world of writing and storytelling through her new book.From there, we dive into some of the most important conversations happening in birth right now - things like informed consent, patient autonomy, and what it actually looks like to feel supported (not just “checked off”) during your birth experience. Jen shares how she advocates for her patients in real-time, how to navigate decision-making in labor without fear, and why understanding your “birth vibes” matters just as much - if not more - than having a perfectly written birth plan. We also get into practical scenarios, pain management, and how to approach your birth feeling informed, empowered, and truly seen.More from Jen Hamilton:Pre-order her book: Birth VibesFollow Jen on Instagram, TikTok, & YouTube @_jen_hamilton_Helpful Timestamps:00:00 Welcome Jen Hamilton06:59 From ER to Labor and Delivery16:23 Autonomy and Informed Choice19:54 Advocacy With Providers28:55 Why Refusing Care Triggers Pushback36:32 Promises and Transparency38:39 Birth Plan Values46:04 Saving Coping Batons49:26 AWHONN Staffing Advocacy53:27 Birth Vibes FrameworkAbout your host:🩺🤰🏻Lo Mansfield, MSN, RNC-OB, CLC is a registered nurse, mama of 4, and a birth, baby, and motherhood enthusiast. She is both the host of the Lo & Behold podcast and the founder of The Labor Mama.For more education, support and “me too” from Lo, please visit her website and check out her online courses and digital guides for birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum/newborns. You can also follow @thelabormama and @loandbehold_thepodcast on Instagram and join her email list here.For more pregnancy, birth, postpartum and motherhood conversation each week, be sure to subscribe to The Lo & Behold podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to listen!👉🏼 A request: If this episode meant something to you, would you consider a 5 star rating and leaving us a review? Yes, we read them, and yes, they help keep L & B going! ♥️Connect with Lo more on: INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK | PINTEREST | FACEBOOKDisclaimerOpinions shared by guests of this show are their own, and do not always reflect those of The Labor Mama platform. Additionally, the information you hear on this podcast or that you receive via any linked resources should not be considered medical advice. Please see our full disclaimer here.Additionally, we may make a small commission from some of the links shared with you. Please know, this comes at no additional cost to you, supports our small biz, and is a way for us to share brands and products with you that we genuinely love.Produced and Edited by Vaden Podcast ServicesMentioned in this episode:YBYB 20% off ad link