This One Hack = No More Labor Fear + Anxiety

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EP 107:

Feeling overwhelmed about birth, breastfeeding, or whether your body will "do what it’s supposed to"? You're not the only one. In this episode, Stephanie Poole shares the one simple breathing technique that helps first-time moms shift from anxiety to calm confidence—before, during, and after birth.

You’ll learn:

• Why fear in pregnancy is normal (and why staying stuck in it is optional)
• The exact breathing tool to instantly regulate your nervous system
• How it helped one first-time mom go from terrified to totally in control during labor
• Why breathwork is your most underrated, most powerful labor tool

 Bonus: Stephanie leads you through the technique right inside the episode—so you can feel the shift for yourself!

• 👉 Ready to take this calm feeling and turn it into real birth prep? Watch the next episode for your action plan.

Resources Mentioned:

• Watch the next video: Turn Calm Into Your Birth Plan
• Stephanie’s Bump to Bundle Blueprint® – Your full plan for labor, birth & postpartum

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founderand CEO of Birth Prep Academy.
I'm on a mission to helppregnant moms prepare for their
first hospital birth.
I'm sharing revealingconversations about what it
really takes to successfullytransition into motherhood.
So join me.
Here to discover things likewhat to expect in childbirth,

(00:27):
how to prepare for your birth.
We'll also talk aboutbreastfeeding and so much more.
I'm so grateful to share it allwith you right here on Oh Baby,
the podcast created for pregnantmoms preparing for their first
hospital birth.
Let's get started.
If you've been lying in bed atnight thinking, what if I can't

(00:49):
handle labor?
Or what if breastfeeding doesn'treally work for me?
How about this one?
What if my body doesn't do whatit's supposed to do?
Well, first of all, you're notalone.
And second.
I want to share the one hackthat's helped my moms go from

(01:10):
full panic mode to actuallyfeeling ready.
It's simple, it's free, and youcan start using it right now
today, even if you're stillmonths away from giving birth.
So if your brain has been on anonstop anxiety loop, this is
gonna feel like a deep exhale.

(01:31):
Alright.
Now, here's something I wishmore people would say out loud.
Fear in pregnancy is normal.
Let me say that again.
Fear in pregnancy is normal, butstaying stuck in it.
Well, that's optional.
in fact, you've probably alreadydone the research.

(01:52):
You might be prepping likecrazy.
But every time you picture themoment of labor or that first
latch, your heart starts racing.
Well, here's why your braindoesn't calm down.
Just because you know something,it calms down when it feels
safe.
And that's where this simple butpowerful tool comes in.

(02:15):
The tool that has helped my momsshift from fear to grounded
calm, even when they had no ideawhat to expect.
Okay, you ready for the magic?
It's called five five Breathing.
Let me say it again.
It's called five.

(02:36):
Five.
Five.
Breathing.
You inhale for five seconds.
Hold for five seconds and exhalefor five seconds.
It sounds simple because it is,but it works incredibly well,
and here's what it does.
It slows your heart rate.
It signals safety to yournervous system.

(02:58):
It brings oxygen to your brainand it helps you to shift from
fight or flight.
Into rest and digest mode.
Now, you might be asking whydoes this matter for labor and
breastfeeding?
Because fear and tensionincreases your level of pain,
but calm and oxygen actuallyhelps to reduce it.

(03:20):
In fact, in birth, your breathis your most powerful comfort
tool.
It's free.
It's available 24 7, and ittravels with you to the hospital
or wherever you're gonna birth.
So let me tell you aboutJasmine, a first time mom who
joined my course.
When Jasmine first came to me,she told me I'm absolutely

(03:43):
terrified of birth.
I don't know what to expect, andI'm scared.
I'll freak out and forgeteverything that I've learned.
Totally normal.
We walked through the birthblueprint together, but the
first thing I had her practicedaily was the 5 5, 5 breathing.
Just one minute.

(04:04):
That's it.
Fast forward to her labor.
She says, I felt the contractionstart and I automatically went
into my breath.
I didn't panic, I didn't freeze.
I actually felt in control.
And when it came time to latchmy baby afterward, I used the
same breath to calm my nerves.
It helped me stay grounded evenwhen I was trying to figure

(04:27):
things out.
It's wow how one tiny shift.
One tiny, tiny shift can havesuch a big ripple effect.
Breath work might not soundfancy, but it's powerful,
especially when it comes tobirth.
Let's do it together right now.
Sit up tall, close your eyes ifit feels good, and I want you to

(04:53):
inhale for five.
Hold for five.
And exhale for five.
Now I want you to do it two moretimes and then open your eyes.
Feel that that drop in tension,that slow, steady energy.
That's what I want you to tapinto when you're feeling

(05:15):
panicked about the unknown.
When you're early in labor, andwhen you're crying in the middle
of the night during postpartum,this is your reset button, and
once you learn to use itconsistently, it changes
everything.
Look, most first time moms tryto prepare with information
only.
But real transformation happenswhen you connect your mind and

(05:39):
body.
This one hack your breath.
It's the gateway.
It grounds you, it regulatesyour emotions, and it gives you
space to respond instead ofreact.
It helps you birth like a boss.
It helps you feed your baby withcalm and confidence, and it

(05:59):
reminds you you've got this.
now feeling calm is just thestart.
Imagine what would happen if youwent all in, all in with a real
plan for birth and breastfeedingand postpartum for that matter,
a plan that actually makessense.
Well, that's exactly what we'retalking about in the next video.

(06:22):
In it.
I'm gonna show you exactly howto take this calm, this calm
feeling, the grounded feelingthat you're feeling right now,
and turn it into action stepsthat'll actually change your
entire birth experience.
All right, go ahead and click towatch Now.
You don't wanna miss this one.