Episodes 30
Avg. Duration 1h 2m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 4.7 (18)
Since Nov 2025
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
85%
Hosting
api.riverside.fm

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

Is there anything more magical than a new life arriving into this world? Every single person, no matter who they are, begins their life here the same way - with someone giving birth to them.

It's no wonder we love birth stories - birth is an amazing feat. And beyond the wonder of it all, birth stories have served an important role in history, helping to educate and support women as they embark on their own births.

At some point though, birth started being portrayed to us mostly one way - painful, hard, scary. Birth can be those things but it can be so much more, too. Birth can be peaceful, joyful, natural, surgical, triumphant, empowering, and even funny.

Every birth story is as unique as the life that comes into this world as a result. This podcast celebrates and makes room for each and every one of those stories.

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Intro music by Lewis Beard

Disclaimer: This podcast provides general information and discussions around health and related subjects. This information and the other content provided in this podcast and any linked materials are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is this information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. 

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Recent Episodes

11 pound babies, shoulder dystocia, cervical swelling, trusting your body, and joyful birth

Jun 11, 2026 1h 33m Transcript

Trigger warning: this episode discusses pregnancy loss. This week, Merelise is joined by mom, actress, podcast host, author and so much more, Sarah Wright Olsen. Sarah reflects on her four kids’…

Two hospital births, a home birth, PROM, becoming a doula and the importance of choosing a care team

Jun 04, 2026 1h 5m Transcript

Merelise is joined this week by Ann Morris, a mama, doula and childbirth educator. Ann shares her three birth stories, which include two unmedicated hospital births and one home birth.Ann’s stories…

Replay: An emergency C-section, a miraculous birth, maternal mental health, and naming babies

Jun 01, 2026 37m Transcript

This week, Merelise is joined by model and mom, Baskin Champion McFarland, who shares the miraculous story of her son’s birth via emergency C-section.Baskin talks about the life-changing moment she…

A breech baby, a crash C-section, fourth trimester guilt, and finding your village

May 21, 2026 1h 7m Transcript

Merelise is joined this week by Shannon Howell for a conversation on all "the things they don't tell you" about birth, seasons of life, fourth trimester guilt, and so much more. Shannon’s first…

Navigating deep grief with a newborn, a 52 hour induction, and finding love again after loss

May 14, 2026 1h 30m Transcript

This episode is a candid, deeply emotional look into the realities of motherhood, trauma, and hope. Listener discretion advised for sensitive content involving grief and loss of a spouse. In this…

Two birth center births, precipitous labor, and optimizing your birth experience

May 07, 2026 46m Transcript

This week, Merelise is joined by Kait Swafford, who shares her two amazing birth experiences at the Atlanta Birth Center. From the moment she became pregnant with her first, Kait knew she wanted a…

A bicornuate uterus, uterine irritability, and navigating pregnancy after fetal loss

Apr 30, 2026 1h 32m Transcript

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of fetal loss and miscarriage. Merelise’s guest this week is Carolyn Donaldson, who shares her experience with a rare condition called a bicornuate…

A successful VBAC, an Aussie birth perspective, obstructed labor, and episiotomy complications

Apr 23, 2026 1h 48m Transcript

This week, Merelise is joined by her friend, fellow podcast host and Australian “twin”, Clare Hambridge. Clare shares the birth stories of her son and daughter and in particular, how her experience…

Finding purpose after tragedy and the fight to end the maternal mortality crisis

Apr 16, 2026 1h 9m Transcript

This week’s episode is a heavy one. But this podcast was created to be a space for every type of birth story: the miraculous, the devastating, and everything in between.Merelise is joined by the…

Replay: Gestational diabetes, precipitous labor and the power of saying no

Apr 09, 2026 1h Transcript

Join Merelise and her guest, Alexi, this week, as they discuss Alexi’s three vaginal births in the hospital. This episode has it all - one birth with an epidural and two without, two known genders…

NICU life with triplets, appreciating your scars, PTSD, and supporting friends in hard times

Apr 03, 2026 45m Transcript

Join Merelise and triplet mom, Mindy Zeh, for Part II of their conversation. Make sure to listen to the end for a special guest (x3) appearance!Part I ended with the triplets being born via C-section…

Triplets, HELLP Syndrome, framily, and controlling the control-ables

Apr 02, 2026 1h 14m Transcript

Join Merelise and her dear friend and triplet mom, Mindy Zeh, for Part I of their conversation where they discuss navigating pregnancy with multiples and all the excitement, curiosity, and challenges…

Low intervention hospital birth, the power of pelvic floor PT & the importance of birth “prehab”

Mar 26, 2026 1h 3m Transcript

Merelise is joined this week by Dr. Amy Meehan, who is a mom, entrepreneur and physical therapist specializing in women’s health, with an emphasis on pelvic floor conditions and orthopedic care. Amy…

A birth center transfer, epic back labor, epidural failure, boundaries, and trusting your gut

Mar 19, 2026 56m Transcript

This week Merelise is joined by her friend and Clover by CLOVE + HALLOW founder and CEO, Sarah Biggers Stewart.Sarah really wanted a low intervention birth experience with her first, so she planned a…

Two hospital births, a wonderful induction, and a healing birth experience

Mar 12, 2026 59m Transcript

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses pregnancy loss. Merelise is joined this week by founder + owner of Sculpthouse fitness studio, Katherine Mason Beasley. In this episode, Katherine tells the…

Three home births, painless birth, the mind-body connection, and chiropractic care in pregnancy

Mar 05, 2026 1h 1m Transcript

This week, Merelise is joined by chiropractor and mama, Dr. Rachel Stockwell, who shares the incredible stories of her three, beautiful water births at home.Rachel is a second generation chiropractor…

A due-date baby, raising good humans, working mom struggles, and the myth of having it all

Feb 26, 2026 57m

This week, Merelise is joined by her friend and former colleague, Kiersten Saunders of rich and REGULAR. Kiersten shares the birth story of her son, Beau, one of the elite group of babies born on…

An emergency C-section, a miraculous birth, maternal mental health, and naming babies

Feb 19, 2026 37m

This week, Merelise is joined by model and mom, Baskin Champion McFarland, who shares the miraculous story of her son’s birth via emergency C-section. Baskin talks about the life-changing moment she…

A surprise unmedicated birth, breech release options, signs, and surrendering to the process

Feb 12, 2026 1h 17m

Join Merelise and her guest, Meg, as they delve into Meg’s two vaginal birth experiences, with an extra special guest appearance from Aubrey, Meg’s 10 week old daughter!Meg, who is a professional…

An unplanned C-section, C-section guilt, and celebrating the positives of a planned C-Section

Feb 05, 2026 53m

This week, Merelise is joined by her friend, Davis, who shares the stories of her two sons' births. Her first son was born via unplanned C-section after Davis stopped dilating and actually started…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast have?

Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast has published 30 episodes since November 2025, covering topics in Kids & Family, Parenting.

Is Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast still active?

Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 1h 2m.

How do I contact Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast for sponsorship or guest appearances?

Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Arrivals: A Birth Story Podcast, including email and social media links.

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