When preparing for birth, many mamas focus on physical preparedness, which makes sense! Putting together a nursery and the perfect registry list is a lot of fun. But labor can be a long, physical task that requires mental perseverance. Surprise guest host and running coach in the Expecting and Empowered app, Abby Green, joins Amy to discuss why preparing your mind is just as important, no matter your birth plan.

Amy shares her experience giving birth unmedicated three times and the types of resources she utilized to prepare mentally. Gathering information from several sources helped her wrap her mind around what that unmedicated birth looked like and found it gave her immense encouragement. As a final preparation before every birth, Amy wrote a letter to herself. Words of affirmation, encouragement, and self-love set the tone for her upcoming labors. Whether a letter, detailed birth plan, or mantras feels like what's right for you, the takeaway is setting aside that time to prepare mentally for the journey ahead of childbirth. Amy also emphasizes that preparing your birth partner is key as well. Your birth partner will feel more equipped mentally and physically to know how to best encourage you and reassure you if they know what to expect during the birthing process!

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

The Birth Partner 5th Edition…

The Birth Hour Podcast

A few birth story episodes...

E + E Podcast Episode 3: Amy Kiefer’s Empowering Unmedicated Hospital Birth (Baby #1)

E + E Podcast Episode 5: Molly Chesterson’s Positive Planned Induction for Baby #3

E + E Podcast Episode 10: Krystle

And so many more can be found on our website’s podcast catalog!

Expecting and Empowered Labor Positions Freebie

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

Maternal mental health is a critical yet often misunderstood part of the postpartum experience, and this conversation shines light on an important topic many parents may not fully understand: perinatal and postnatal OCD. Amy is joined by Betty Flores, LCSW, PMH-C, and Justine Rae Murray, LCSW—two therapists who specialize in perinatal and postnatal mental health and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Betty and Justine share how their own postpartum experiences led them to pursue additional training in perinatal and postnatal mental health. Both women are passionate about helping parents understand their postpartum experiences, recognize that they are not alone, and access the support they need to feel better.

Betty and Justine break down what OCD is and how it often involves intrusive thoughts or images that feel distressing and repetitive, followed by compulsive behaviors or mental rituals. While many parents experience the occasional intrusive thought and are able to move along with their day, Betty and Justine describe OCD as feeling “stuck” in the stickiness of intrusive thoughts, not able to move past the thought. Many moms feel ashamed or afraid to speak openly about intrusive thoughts, which can delay diagnosis and treatment. Betty and Justine also emphasize an important message: postpartum OCD is treatable with ERP therapy. Help is available, and you don’t need to walk through this alone.

If you have a loved one walking through perinatal or postnatal OCD, Betty and Justine encourage you to seek education, have compassion, and demonstrate patience. Understanding what OCD actually is, and offering a supportive, nonjudgmental presence, can make a powerful difference for someone working through intrusive thoughts and OCD.

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @perinatal_wellness, @gem.utah, and @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Follow Betty and Justine on Instagram

Betty’s Website and TikTok

Justine’s Website

Find a therapist with Postpartum Support International

International OCD Foundation’s Find A Provider

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.

This week Amy is solo for a short and encouraging episode focused on one common challenge in motherhood: staying consistent with workouts. As a follow-up to the conversation about finding time to exercise with little kids, this episode is designed to be simple, practical, and motivating for moms navigating busy seasons of life.

Amy shares why consistency in movement matters during motherhood and how this habit will continue lifelong. She encourages listeners to stay goal-oriented by keeping fitness goals realistic, simple, and attainable — especially during demanding seasons. A key theme of the episode is “proof of concept”: showing yourself that you can stay consistent even during tough weeks, whether that’s a sick child, a partner traveling for work, or a packed family schedule. Each small win reinforces confidence and resilience!

Amy also highlights the importance of protecting workouts by supporting your body in other areas of life, including proper hydration, quality sleep, and fueling with nourishing foods. Amy emphasizes that these foundational habits set moms up for more effective and sustainable workouts. She closes with a powerful mindset shift for busy days — instead of crossing workouts off the to-do list, consider letting go of a less critical task like putting away the laundry. In this season of life, movement is essential and deserves to be prioritized! Consistency doesn’t require perfection — just intention, flexibility, and a commitment to caring for your body.

If you enjoyed listening to this episode, we would love it if you could share it to your Instagram stories and tag us, @expectingandempowered. As we like to say, knowledge is power, and we just really want to give more people the information that they may need on their childbirth journey!

Links & Resources

Expecting and Empowered App - Enter code 'PODCAST25' at checkout

Expecting and Empowered Website

Expecting and Empowered Instagram

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.