PODCAST · education
The Birth Class Podcast
by Lizzie Bolliger
Not your typical childbirth education. The knowledge is power approach to better birth experiences. Teaching moms how to take back their births to have the positive and powerful birth experiences they deserve. Hosted by Lizzie Bolliger, fierce birth advocate and creator of Unmedicated Academy.
Episodes
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When pregnancy makes you question (and research) literally everything , with Courtney Gackstetter
Did pregnancy make you start reading every ingredient label and questioning things you’d never thought twice about? Girlie, you’re in good company. In this episode, I’m joined by Courtney Gackstetter, founder of Jane and Thunder Apothecary, to talk about the personal journey that led her to…
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Avoiding a 'Holiday Induction'
Whether your already thinking about the holiday or not, now is actually the time to start the birth prep routine that will help you avoid an unnecessary holiday induction that you don't want. Tune in for what the holiday induction phenomenon is and what you can do now to avoid one if your plan is...
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Being the Unmedicated Girlie, 'Fake it til you make it' to your unmedicated birth
A little it of 'fake it til you make it' and also 5 tangible things you can do now to control the controllable when it comes to unmedicated birth prep. Join us inside the birth class for Unmedicated Girlies: unmedicatedgirlies.com Get the LIST unmedicatedgirlies.com/waitlist
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Yay or nay, placenta encapsulation? Evidence on placenta encapsulation
I've officially changed my mind about placenta consumption, plus the traumatic placenta experience with my third. In this episode, we’re digging into why moms consume their placentas, what the research actually says about the supposed benefits, and why some moms are just keeping their placenta in...
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Most moms don't know enough about birth
Most moms just don’t know enough about birth... and honestly, it’s keeping you scared of things that are completely normal. In this episode, we’re talking cord around the neck, meconium, long labors, cervical lips, and other things that get treated like problems when they can actually be part of...
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Eat like a marathon runner for birth
What labor snacks should I have on hand for birth?? Easy to eat and digest foods, and think like a marathoner. Because birth IS a marathon. We're also going to cover three reasons moms don't eat in labor, how it can cause more interventions, and what to do if you cannot stop throwing up. Download...
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Hospital, Birth Center, Home Birth… Which is best? A mom of 6 shares, with Callie Harris
👋 Meet Callie, she's had 2 births at the hospital, 2 at a birth center, and 2 at home. And she's sharing what she has learned from having unmedicated births in every setting. In this episode, we talk about the differences between birth environments, why education and advocacy matter no matter...
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Precipitous Birth + Hospital Triage: Unhinged birth advice, part 2
Y'all flooded my DMs and comments after the Dani Austin unmedicated hospital birth episode… and some of the responses were wild. So today we’re unpacking it. The excuses women make for not preparing for birth Why precipitous birth doesn’t mean you couldn’t have prepared What really happens when…
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If Dani Austin Were My Client: Unhinged (and must have) advice for unmedicated hospital birth
Y’all sent me this video over and over again… so let’s talk about it. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what I would coach Dani Austin on if she were my client to have a more powerful, confident unmedicated hospital birth. This is the behind-the-scenes prep that actually changes how…
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When first-time moms choose home birth, Morgan's two home birth stories
In this episode, Morgan shares what led her to choose home birth as a first-time mom and how trusting her body completely shaped her birth experience. From a calm, steady first home birth to an unassisted, very fast second home birth, Morgan’s stories are a powerful example of what birth can look...
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Red Raspberry Leaf Tea or.. NORA? , with Morgan Spencer of Mama Bear Supply Co
Meet NORA ✨ She's the glow up version of red raspberry leaf tea and represents a truly wholistic approach to pregnancy and birth prep. Listen in to hear Morgan answer all your RRL and NORA questions, like... when should I start? how do I brew it? what if I don't like tea? and why are we even...
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My Water Broke… and Labor Didn’t Start for 32 Hours, Kelsey’s Homebirth Story
⚠️ Trigger Warning: This story includes an intense birth journey with some complications arising during labor. When Kelsey’s water broke early in the morning she decided, "let's just go about our day." And they ended up waiting 32 hours for labor to start. In this episode, Kelsey shares exactly...
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Birth Plans vs. Birth Preferences, Why Language Matters
Why I don’t love the term birth preferences and why I still believe in calling it a birth plan. While birth can take many normal variations, that doesn’t mean women should be coached into passivity or told to “go with the flow.” We’ll talk about ownership, flexibility, and why planning doesn’t…
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What is Precipitous Birth? Marissa's "drive-by" birth story
What is precipitous birth, and how do you know if it’s happening to you? In this birth story episode, I’m joined by Unmedicated Academy birth worker Marissa Bergman to break down what precipitous birth actually is (and why it can feel so shocking when it starts at full speed). Marissa shares her...
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If you are due in 2026, START HERE
If you’re due in 2026 and wondering where to start with birth prep, this episode is for you. We’re breaking down the foundational steps every pregnant woman should take early on, from interviewing your provider and using nutrition to support a low-risk pregnancy, to starting birth education…
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209 | Why don't hospitals have birth combs?
Birth combs work. Moms swear by them. Thousands of unmedicated girlies have used them to cope through contractions and yet hospitals don’t have a single one on the unit. Why? In this episode, I break down the real reason hospitals skip the simplest, cheapest, most mom-approved coping tool…
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208 | TREND ALERT: Continuous Fetal Monitoring, What the Unmedicated Girlies need to know
Continuous fetal monitoring is all over the internet (thanks New York Times), but the Unmedicated Girlies have been talking about it for years. Lets break down why hospitals love it (spoiler: liability), how it affects your unmedicated birth, and what to ask for instead. ___ Get informed with...
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207 | The birth you didn't plan (aka the Cascade of Interventions)
Everyone talks about “avoiding the cascade of interventions,” but what if the cascade isn’t something that just happens? What if it’s actually part of the hospital’s plan? In this episode, learn about the cascade of interventions: what it really means, how it starts, and why it’s not just a...
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206 | START HERE for writing a birth plan
Q: I need to write a birth plan, but where do I start?? 😩 Most women write a birth plan the WRONG way and then wonder why nothing in it actually happens. In this episode, I break down exactly how to start writing a birth plan that actually works in a hospital setting. We’re not copy-pasting cute...
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205 | Write 3 birth plans and thank me later
Most moms write 0-1 birth jplans, but we're going to be a little extra and write 3. I’m sharing the birth plan strategy no one’s talking about: why you need three different birth plans... one for the hospital staff, one for your partner, and one for laboring at home. You’ll learn: Why icon birth...
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204 | Healing Hyperemesis Gravidarum: A Root-Cause Roadmap with Jes Reynolds
Meet Jes, holistic hyperemesis gravidarum expert and morning sickness coach. Jes shares her own HG story, multiple hospitalizations, prescriptions, and the moment she said “there has to be a better way”, and how she reverse-engineered her HG by targeting root causes instead of masking symptoms.…
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203 | Fentanyl, Morphine & Stadol: What you're really saying yes to
Everyone knows about the epidural, but you also need to understand the hospital’s so-called “low-intervention” option: IV narcotics. Spoiler: they’re not as low-risk as they sound. In this episode, I’m breaking down: Why hospitals are quick to offer fentanyl to unmedicated girlies The real pros…
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202 | Processing Birth Trauma: The Prep No One Talks About, with Brigid Tebaldi
If you’ve ever felt like “something wasn’t right” about your birth, this episode is for you. Processing what happened is the prep no one talks about—but it might just be the most important part of planning for an empowered, unmedicated birth. Brigid went through her own traumatic birth, and now…
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201 | From 'high-risk' to heart-mending, Sarah's story of her unmedicated VBAC
From a home birth transfer and cesarean to a powerful unmedicated VBAC, Sarah’s story is pure redemption. Hear how she turned a high-risk pregnancy into a healthy, healing experience that will bring you to tears. -- Join Sarah & the other Academy Moms: unmedicatedgirlies.com
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200 | 🔥 Ring of Fire: Sarah’s Why, Cravings & Coping Tools
In this brand-new Ring of Fire segment, Sarah is the first to take the birth stool and answer five rapid-fire questions about her unmedicated birth. From her biggest “why” behind wanting an empowered birth to the one coping tool that truly carried her through labor,. You’ll hear her cravings, her...
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199 | I didn’t get my unmedicated birth… Now what?
You planned for an unmedicated birth… and it didn’t happen. Now you’re wondering how to set yourself up for a different outcome next time. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what to do, starting before you’re even pregnant again, to heal, prepare, and build your confidence for your next...
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198 | What birth taught me about selling, showing up and not shutting up, with Lisa V
In this episode, I’m joined by the one and only Loudmouth Lisa... and trust me, you’re going to love her. Lisa Villani is a birthy business powerhouse with a bold story and even bolder mission. She shares how she went from the typical hospital experience (aka not it) to the unmedicated birth she...
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197 | PART 5: Be the boss of your birth
☀️ Summer Series: PART 4 ☀️ Empowered moms know they are the boss Not only do empowered moms know their rights, they do not allow anyone to take their power away. Being a powerful woman outside of the birth space is different than being the boss inside the birth space, as evidenced by the…
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196 | PART 4: Prioritizing an undisturbed birth
☀️ Summer Series: PART 4 ☀️ Why Physiology is QUEEN 👑 There are TWO things you need to learn: 1️⃣ HOW PHYSIOLOGIC BIRTH WORKS 2️⃣ AND How the hospital does birth. Unfortunately they are not the same. And this was true 10 years ago when I had my first baby, it was true 5 years before that when…
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195 | PART 3: Prenatal Care YOUR Way
☀️ Summer Series: PART 3 ☀️ Here is your permission to NOT HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION. Empowered moms know the routine prenatal care, ask for their legally protected options and alternatives, and they are MORE in control of their birth because they started taking ownership during their prenatal...
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194 | PART 2: Drink all the raw milk you want
☀️ Summer Series: PART 2 ☀️ Taking control of your nutrition and knowing what holistic approaches exists for staying low risk is a really impactful way to take control of your birth because the more low risk you are- the more untouchable your birth is. Empowered Moms take control of their birth…
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193 | PART 1: Your permission to fire your crappy provider
☀️ Summer Series: PART 1 ☀️ What do you do before choosing someone to reno your kitchen? Or cut your hair? You look at the results they have gotten for other clients! We should not be putting more research into our hair than our births. Hair grows back, you are only giving birth a handful of…
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192 | Empowered Mom Summer Series, It’s Time to Take Control of Your Birth
☀️Summer Series☀️ We're getting empowered birth prep doesn’t take a summer break and neither do we. Each week, we’re diving into quick, powerful podcast episodes that’ll help you start being an empowered mom now. Here’s what we’ll be covering in the next five weeks: How to choose a provider…
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191 | Want to avoid cesarean? Do this.
✨Mini-Series: What the Unmedicated Girlie Needs to know about Cesarean ✨ part 3 Push play for 6 clear, simple strategies to reduce your risk of an unnecessary cesarean. If your plan is an unmedicated or vaginal birth, these strategies will inform you on how to protect your birth plan before labor...
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190 | When is a cesarean really necessary?
✨Mini-Series: What the Unmedicated Girlie Needs to know about Cesarean ✨ part 2 Not every cesarean is a true emergency. In fact, many are performed out of fear, hospital policy, or convenience, aka they're not always necessary. In this episode, we’re digging into the top 10 reasons cesareans are...
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189 | 10cm and still a Cesarean
✨Mini-Series: What the Unmedicated Girlie Needs to know about Cesarean ✨ part 1 April is Cesarean Awareness Month — but the truth is, we need to be having this conversation all year long. Why? Because 1 in 3 births in the U.S. end in cesarean… and many of them happen after a mom has already…
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188 | Circumcision Deep Dive: What to know before you decide
🇺🇸 In the United States, routine infant circumcision is still fairly common. What most parents don’t realize is that American moms are some of the only women in the world still facing this decision. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the why behind the U.S. circumcision rate, the real…
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187 | The Informed Consent Crisis: Hear from the experts inside the hospital
What’s really happening with informed consent in hospitals? In this episode, I sit down with experienced doulas and birth educators to uncover the truth about what moms are facing during labor and birth. 💡 What’s missing from birth education? The key information hospitals aren’t teaching you. 🏥...
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186 | Going all in: Audie’s fifth and final birth story
Fifth times a charm. ✨ After four very different birth experiences Audie knew she wanted her last birth to be exactly what she envisioned. Audie is sharing what she learned from each birth, and how she went all in with pregnancy five. Catch up on the Forever Informed Series ⬇️ 184 | Why mom…
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185 | Defining informed consent, here's what you're not being told
Informed consent is much more than just a signature on a form—it’s a conversation, a right, and a crucial part of making empowered decisions about your birth. But here’s the truth: hospitals rarely provide true informed consent. They give you a watered-down version, leaving you with only the...
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184 | Why Mom Advice is So Confusing: Modern Motherhood vs. Physiology
One mom says to trust your instincts. Another tells you to sleep train by 8 weeks. The breastfeeding book you read says you should breastfeed for up to 2 years, but your pediatrician hands you a formula sample at your baby's first appointment. The contradictions in motherhood are everywhere—and...
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183 | Hospital birth is a system (and here's how it works against you)
Have you ever heard a doula or birth worker call hospital birth “the system”? That’s because it is—and it wasn’t designed with you in mind. From standardized routines to liability concerns, efficiency protocols, and financial incentives, every part of hospital birth is structured for the…
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182 | Kicked out of the birth center: Vanessa’s medicated, no-epidural birth story
What happens when one high blood pressure reading gets you kicked out of the birth center? For Vanessa, it meant signing an AMA form, switching to a hospital birth, and watching her birth plan go out the window. In this episode, Vanessa, the creator ofBirth to Boob, and one our very own…
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181 | Every intervention except the epidural: The untold story of my 'natural' births (part 2)
In part 2 , I’m taking you back to my waters breaking (again?!) on New Year's Eve, I was told to stay in the hospital bed, Pitocin was pushed at shift change, and—something I’ve never shared before—I was talked into fentanyl (spoiler: there's a good learning point here). Add in a cervical lip…
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180 | Every intervention except the epidural: The untold story of my 'natural' births (part 1)
AKA the ONLY thing unmedicated about it was that I didn't have an epidural. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my first birth experience and sharing the details of what I used to call an “unmedicated” birth. Spoiler alert: while I didn’t have an epidural, my birth was still FULL of...
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179 | The Hospital's Birth Plan: Cascade of Interventions
When you walk into the hospital for birth, are you stepping into their birth plan? In this episode, we’re breaking down the cascade of interventions and how it’s more than just a snowball effect—it’s often a prearranged set of interventions that makes up the typical hospital birth experience.…
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178 | Which birth interventions are really necessary? What you need to know to get informed for birth
"How do I know which interventions are really needed?" In this episode, I’m answering a listener question, and the truth is—it’s not one-size-fits-all. But what works every single time, for every mom and every intervention, is getting informed. Tune in to learn how to make decisions based on you,...
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177 | She refused to have another unnecessary cesarean, Nina's unmedicated VBAC in the hospital
Nina went from being terrified of birth to a typical cascade of intervention experience with her twins—leading to an unnecessary C-section—to achieving the unmedicated VBAC she was 100% committed to. With her husband stepping up as her biggest advocate and her own stubborn streak driving her...
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176 | Epidural Diaries: Why your bestie got an epidural and how to be more prepared
How many of your friends wanted a natural birth but ended up getting an epidural?? We're breaking down why many moms say “yes” to the epidural, what makes it so tempting, and how you can be more prepared to stay on track with your unmedicated birth plan. From long labors and Pitocin contractions…
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175 | Behind the birth video, what you need to know if you’re having a baby in 2025
"I wish my birth looked like that" Here is the truth behind those birth videos on IG. When you see a mom so proud of her birth she is posting it on social, it's usually because of the work she put in before that video. Let's talk about what it takes to feel powerful, be empowered, get informed…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Not your typical childbirth education. The knowledge is power approach to better birth experiences. Teaching moms how to take back their births to have the positive and powerful birth experiences they deserve. Hosted by Lizzie Bolliger, fierce birth advocate and creator of Unmedicated Academy.
HOSTED BY
Lizzie Bolliger
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Birth Class Podcast have?
The Birth Class Podcast currently has 50 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Birth Class Podcast about?
Not your typical childbirth education. The knowledge is power approach to better birth experiences. Teaching moms how to take back their births to have the positive and powerful birth experiences they deserve. Hosted by Lizzie Bolliger, fierce birth advocate and creator of Unmedicated Academy.
How often does The Birth Class Podcast release new episodes?
The Birth Class Podcast has 50 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Birth Class Podcast?
You can listen to The Birth Class Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Birth Class Podcast?
The Birth Class Podcast is created and hosted by Lizzie Bolliger.
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