The 15 Best Expecting Parents Podcasts (2026)

Bryn Huntpalmer created The Birth Hour after struggling to find authentic, unfiltered birth stories when she was pregnant with her first child. What started as a personal project has turned into one of the most well-known birth story podcasts around, with over 2,100 ratings and a 4.8 star average on Apple Podcasts.

The format is simple and effective: each episode features a parent sharing their birth experience in their own words, with Bryn guiding the conversation. You'll hear everything from planned home births to unexpected C-sections, from quick unmedicated deliveries to long inductions. The range is genuinely impressive -- there are episodes covering stillbirth, twin pregnancies, VBAC experiences, and births across different countries and healthcare systems. New episodes come out twice a week, so there's always something fresh in the feed.

What makes this show particularly useful for someone considering unmedicated birth is the sheer volume of real stories. You can search through the catalog and find dozens of episodes specifically about unmedicated hospital births, home births, and birth center experiences. Bryn has a knack for creating a comfortable space where guests open up about the messy, beautiful, sometimes terrifying reality of giving birth. She asks good follow-up questions without being pushy. The show doesn't preach a particular philosophy -- it just presents real experiences and lets you draw your own conclusions.

Vanessa Merten takes the mountain of pregnancy information floating around the internet and distills it into clear, evidence-based episodes that actually help you make decisions. Each week she tackles a specific topic -- gestational diabetes testing, epidural pros and cons, cord blood banking, choosing a care provider -- and walks through the research with enough detail to be useful but without drowning you in medical jargon.

What separates this from a lot of pregnancy content is Vanessa's commitment to presenting all sides. She lays out the evidence, explains what the studies actually found versus what the headlines said, and then steps back to let you form your own conclusions. There's no agenda pushing you toward one birth philosophy over another, which is surprisingly rare in the pregnancy podcast space.

Episodes run about 30 minutes and follow a consistent structure that makes them easy to reference later. Vanessa also wrote Your Birth Plan: A Step by Step Guide to Creating and Writing Your Birth Plan, and she runs a companion show called 40 Weeks that provides weekly pregnancy updates. The main show has built up a substantial archive covering everything from prenatal nutrition to newborn care basics.

Rated 4.5 stars with over 1,100 reviews on Apple Podcasts. Listeners consistently praise how calm and clear Vanessa's delivery is, noting that she has a way of making first-time parents feel more confident rather than more anxious. If you want the research without the overwhelm, this is the show to queue up.

Adriana Lozada brings a rare combination of credentials to Birthful: she's an advanced birth doula, postpartum educator, child sleep consultant, and former journalist who co-founded a media company before pivoting to birth work. That journalism background shows in every episode. Adriana interviews experts and new parents with the precision of a reporter, pulling out specific details and challenging vague claims rather than just nodding along.

The show has been running for a decade, and in that time Adriana has built an archive covering pregnancy, birth, and postpartum in serious depth. Episodes feature OBs, midwives, lactation consultants, pelvic floor therapists, mental health professionals, and parents who've been through it all. The conversations zero in on actionable takeaways -- not just "trust your body" platitudes, but concrete techniques, questions to ask your provider, and red flags to watch for.

Adriana's interviewing style is warm but focused. She has a talent for translating clinical information into plain language without losing the nuance, and she'll push back when a guest oversimplifies something. The production quality is solid, and episodes are organized thematically so you can find what's relevant to your current stage.

One thing to know: the ad load has drawn some listener complaints, with several minutes of ads front-loaded before content begins. If that bothers you, keep the skip button handy. But the substance of the episodes themselves remains strong, and Adriana's decade of accumulated expertise makes Birthful one of the more credible voices in the pregnancy podcast space.

Rebecca Dekker holds a PhD in nursing and brings serious academic credentials to a space that sometimes lacks them. Evidence Based Birth is exactly what it sounds like: a podcast that digs into the research literature on pregnancy, labor, and postpartum care, then translates it into language that regular people can actually use.

With 413 episodes, she's covered an enormous range of topics. Want to know what the evidence actually says about eating during labor? There's an episode for that. Curious about the real risks and benefits of epidurals versus unmedicated birth? She's broken it down with citations. She also tackles subjects that don't get enough attention, like the impact of continuous fetal monitoring on birth outcomes, racial disparities in maternal care, and the evidence around birth center versus hospital birth. The show carries a 4.3 star rating from over 1,000 reviews.

The format varies -- some episodes are solo deep-dives where Rebecca walks through a stack of studies, others feature interviews with researchers, doulas, midwives, or parents sharing their experiences. Her tone is measured and professional without being dry. She's clearly passionate about helping families make informed decisions, and she's careful to present the evidence without telling people what to choose. For anyone planning an unmedicated birth, this podcast provides the kind of factual grounding that helps you have productive conversations with your care provider.

Dr. Elliot Berlin is a Los Angeles-based chiropractor who specializes in prenatal care, and he's been hosting the Informed Pregnancy Podcast since 2014 alongside perinatal psychologist Dr. Alyssa Berlin. Together they've produced close to 500 episodes that aim to deliver unbiased pregnancy and parenting information -- a tall order in a space where everyone seems to have a strong opinion about the "right" way to give birth.

The format is interview-driven. Each Thursday, Elliot sits down with pregnancy and parenting experts, birth professionals, and new or expectant parents to discuss everything from prenatal nutrition and exercise to birth trauma recovery and infant sleep. He also brings in the occasional celebrity guest, which keeps the tone varied. What works well is Elliot's genuine curiosity -- he asks detailed follow-up questions and doesn't rush through topics to fit a tight runtime.

Beyond the podcast, the Berlins have built out Informed Pregnancy Plus, a streaming platform with prenatal workouts, yoga flows, original series, and birth films. The podcast serves as the free entry point to that broader ecosystem, though it stands on its own without requiring a subscription to anything else.

The show's decade-long track record means the archive is enormous. You can search by topic or guest to find episodes relevant to your specific concerns. If you appreciate hearing from a wide range of perspectives -- OBs, midwives, doulas, mental health professionals, and fellow parents -- without being pushed toward a single birth philosophy, this one delivers consistently.

Cynthia Overgard, a certified hypnobirthing instructor, and Trisha Ludwig, a certified nurse midwife, make a seriously compelling duo. Their chemistry is the engine here -- they push back on each other, finish each other's thoughts, and genuinely seem to enjoy hashing things out. With over 360 episodes and listeners in 90 countries, they've built something that goes well beyond a casual listen.

The show bills itself as evidence-based straight talk on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, and it mostly delivers on that promise. They tackle topics like water birth, VBAC preparation, perineal health, and informed consent with real specificity. No vague reassurances -- they cite studies, bring on expert guests, and walk through the actual data. Their monthly Q&A episodes are a standout feature where they field questions directly from listeners, and the answers tend to be refreshingly direct.

What sets this apart from other birth podcasts is the willingness to challenge the conventional medical system without veering into anti-science territory. They'll question routine interventions while still respecting the role of medical professionals. It's a balance a lot of shows in this space struggle with. The 4.8 star rating across 560 reviews backs up what regular listeners already know: this is one of the more thoughtful, well-produced birth podcasts out there. New episodes drop weekly and they also offer extended content through their Patreon, including live monthly events.

Laura Birek and Shanna Micko are real-life best friends who found out they were pregnant at the same time, and they turned that coincidence into a podcast that's been running strong since 2018. The name comes from the pregnancy test slang -- BFP, big fat positive -- and the tone matches: warm, funny, and refreshingly unpolished.

Each Monday episode follows a loose structure built around weekly check-ins where Laura and Shanna share what's actually happening in their lives as parents. They've moved well past the pregnancy stage at this point, but the show has evolved naturally alongside their kids. Recurring segments like "OMG I'm Freaking Out" give the episodes a familiar rhythm, and they bring in occasional guests for specific topics.

What makes BFP work is that it genuinely sounds like two friends talking over coffee. Laura and Shanna don't perform expertise they don't have, and they're upfront about their mistakes, anxieties, and the stuff that nobody tells you about motherhood. The comedy tag on this podcast is earned -- they're naturally funny without forcing bits, and the humor comes from shared recognition of how absurd parenting can be.

Production is handled by Laura, Shanna, and Steve Yager, and the show has stayed independent rather than joining a big network. Listeners consistently say it feels like sitting down with trusted friends who tackle messy topics with honesty and zero judgment. If you want a pregnancy-to-parenting show that prioritizes laughter and real talk over clinical advice, BFP is a strong pick.

Stephanie is a professional doula and childbirth educator who created this podcast as a companion to her My Essential Birth online course. But you absolutely don't need the course to get value here -- the podcast stands on its own with 337 episodes and a 4.8 star rating from 729 reviews.

The show focuses on practical birth preparation, and Stephanie has a talent for breaking complicated topics into manageable pieces. She covers everything from managing pregnancy nausea to writing a birth plan that actually gets respected, from partner support strategies to what really happens during a VBAC. Her episodes on pain management techniques for unmedicated birth are particularly strong, offering specific tools and mindset shifts rather than generic encouragement.

Some episodes feature birth stories from her students, and these are where the podcast really shines. You hear from women who used her techniques in real labor situations -- some in hospitals, some at birth centers, some at home. The stories include the hard parts, the moments of doubt, and the things that didn't go as planned. Stephanie follows up with commentary that connects the story back to practical takeaways. She releases new episodes weekly and keeps the energy upbeat without being over-the-top. If you're the kind of person who wants a clear plan and actionable steps for preparing for an unmedicated birth, this is a solid pick.

Diana Spalding is a certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and Motherly's Digital Education Editor. She also wrote The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama, the book this podcast was built to accompany. Each episode maps to a specific stage of pregnancy, giving the show a structured, week-by-week feel that works well if you're following along in real time.

The format is straightforward: Diana shares insight, support, and non-judgmental guidance on the topics that come up at each phase of the journey. She covers prenatal nutrition, self-care during pregnancy, what to expect during different stages of labor, doula considerations, and postpartum recovery. The tone is reassuring without being saccharine -- Diana clearly knows her stuff and presents it in a way that respects your ability to make your own decisions.

Being produced under the Motherly brand gives this podcast a level of polish and editorial consistency that smaller indie shows sometimes lack. The episodes are well-organized and concise, making them easy to fit into a busy schedule. Diana also brings in guest experts when a topic calls for specialized knowledge, which keeps the content credible across a wide range of subjects.

The podcast works especially well as a companion to the book, but it stands on its own too. If you like the idea of a trusted midwife walking you through pregnancy week by week -- someone who combines clinical expertise with genuine warmth -- Becoming Mama fills that role nicely. It's less about debate and more about steady, knowledgeable companionship through one of the biggest transitions of your life.

Claire Fulton is a qualified doula, hypnobirthing teacher, and author who runs The Nurture Nest. Her podcast has been named the number one hypnobirthing podcast by Mother & Baby magazine, and with over 2 million downloads worldwide, the audience agrees. The show focuses squarely on hypnobirthing techniques and building a positive mindset around birth.

Each episode features either an educational segment where Claire explains a hypnobirthing concept in practical terms, or an interview with a parent sharing their positive birth story. Claire's interview style is notable for how little she interrupts -- she asks a question, then genuinely listens, letting the storyteller guide the narrative. Guests describe home births, water births, hospital births, and cesarean births, all through the lens of staying calm and feeling in control.

The show also includes guided meditations and relaxation exercises designed for use during pregnancy and labor. These are popular with listeners, though some have noted that advertisements can interrupt the flow of meditations and birth stories without warning, which is worth knowing if you plan to use them during actual relaxation practice.

Claire is UK-based, so there's a British perspective on maternity care that provides a useful contrast if you're mostly familiar with the American system. The practical techniques she teaches -- breathing exercises, visualization, understanding the fear-tension-pain cycle -- are applicable regardless of where you're giving birth or what kind of birth you're planning. If the idea of approaching labor with calm confidence appeals to you more than anxious over-preparation, this podcast is built exactly for that mindset.

Matt Mira and Doree Shafrir spent two and a half years and a lot of money trying to get pregnant through IVF, and they documented the entire process in this podcast. That origin story gives the show an authenticity that's hard to manufacture -- these two aren't fertility experts dispensing advice from a clinical distance, they're a married couple who lived through the emotional and financial roller coaster of assisted reproduction.

The format is conversational and personal. Matt and Doree share weekly life updates, respond to listener questions and voicemails, and discuss their ongoing experiences as parents. The show has evolved significantly since its early IVF-focused days, expanding into broader pregnancy and parenting territory as their family has grown. This evolution is a double-edged sword: long-time listeners who came for the fertility content sometimes find the show has drifted from its original focus.

What the podcast does well is normalize the IVF experience. The couple talks openly about the shots, the waiting, the disappointments, and the financial strain in a way that makes listeners going through the same thing feel significantly less alone. Matt brings humor from his background in comedy, and Doree contributes the journalist's instinct for good questions.

Fair warning: reviews are polarized. Fans love the hosts' realness and feel like part of the community. Critics point out that IVF content has become a smaller percentage of episodes over time. If you're specifically in the fertility treatment phase and want a podcast that gets what you're going through on a personal level, this fills a niche that few other shows even attempt.

Beth Connors is a certified nurse midwife, birth doula, and childbirth educator in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and her path to this work is part of what makes the podcast compelling. After a traumatic first hospital birth, Beth became a labor and delivery nurse, then earned her nurse-midwife certification and went on to have a redemptive hospital water birth. That arc -- from difficult personal experience to professional expertise -- informs every episode.

The show releases weekly episodes covering practical pregnancy tips, personal birth stories, and deep explorations of informed maternity care. Beth has a notably calm and soothing presence on the mic. Listeners describe her voice as peaceful and grounding, which matters when you're a first-time parent absorbing information about labor and delivery that could easily spike your anxiety.

Beth is a strong advocate for bodily autonomy and informed choice in women's health, and that philosophy runs through the show without becoming preachy. She explains different options, walks through what the evidence says, and trusts her listeners to make their own decisions. Topics range from pain management options and birth positions to choosing between midwife and OB care, navigating hospital policies, and understanding your rights during labor.

The show leans toward natural and physiologic birth but doesn't shame anyone for making different choices. If you want a pregnancy podcast hosted by someone who combines clinical credentials with genuine personal understanding of what it feels like to be in that delivery room, Beth's blend of professional knowledge and empathetic delivery makes this a strong weekly listen.

Ciarra Morgan is a seasoned birth doula, childbirth educator, doula agency owner, and birth doula trainer based in Austin, Texas. She brings all of that experience to Birth, Baby!, a podcast that covers pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care through a mix of candid interviews, personal stories, and evidence-backed content.

The show tackles the full timeline from prenatal care through the early days with a newborn. Recent episodes have covered practical topics like choosing safe sleep products, understanding swaddles and sleep sacks, and navigating the postpartum period with real guest perspectives rather than textbook summaries. Ciarra also gets into birth planning, provider selection, and the emotional side of becoming a parent.

What comes through in the episodes is Ciarra's hands-on doula experience. She's been in delivery rooms, she's seen what works and what doesn't, and she shares that knowledge without being prescriptive about it. The conversations feel grounded in reality rather than theory, and she brings in guests who add their own professional or personal perspectives to round out each topic.

The podcast is available across major platforms and maintains an active social media presence where Ciarra engages with listeners between episodes. The show is still building its archive compared to some of the longer-running pregnancy podcasts on this list, but the content it has produced is solid and practical. If you want guidance from someone who's actively working as a doula and educator rather than just talking about birth in the abstract, Birth, Baby! delivers that real-world perspective.

Lo Mansfield holds an MSN, is a registered nurse with obstetric certification (RNC-OB), a certified lactation counselor, a mother of four, and the founder of The Labor Mama online birth education platform. She launched Lo & Behold in mid-2025, making it one of the newer entries in the pregnancy podcast space, but her clinical background gives the content a depth that belies the show's youth.

The podcast covers pregnancy, labor and delivery, postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and modern motherhood. Lo draws on her years working as a labor and postpartum nurse to explain what's actually happening during each stage of the process -- not just the textbook version, but the reality of what you'll see, feel, and deal with in the hospital or birthing center. Her clinical perspective is especially valuable for first-time parents who want to understand procedures and protocols before they're in the middle of them.

Episodes feature a mix of educational content and birth stories from other mothers. The birth story episodes give listeners a chance to hear varied experiences -- from fast unmedicated hospital deliveries to complicated situations involving postpartum and breastfeeding struggles. Lo lets her guests tell their stories fully while adding clinical context where it's helpful.

The show is still in its first year, so the archive is smaller than many of the established pregnancy podcasts. But the weekly release schedule is building it steadily, and Lo's combination of nursing credentials, lactation expertise, and personal experience as a mom of four makes each episode substantive. A promising new voice for expecting parents who appreciate clinical accuracy wrapped in an approachable style.

Newbies focuses on a specific window that many pregnancy podcasts gloss over: the first year after your baby arrives. Produced by New Mommy Media and hosted by journalist Natalie Gross and doula Kristen Stratton -- who have five young kids between them -- the show has been running since late 2015 and has built up over 350 episodes.

Each weekly episode runs about 40 minutes and covers a focused topic relevant to newly postpartum mothers and their newborns. The content ranges from the physical recovery after childbirth and breastfeeding challenges to infant sleep patterns, developmental milestones, and the emotional adjustments of early parenthood. The hosts bring in pediatricians, lactation consultants, sleep specialists, and other experts to provide professional guidance alongside their own parenting experiences.

The show fills an important gap. Most pregnancy podcasts understandably concentrate on the nine months before birth, and then you're suddenly holding a baby with no idea what comes next. Newbies picks up right at that transition point and walks you through the first year with practical, week-by-week relevance. The combination of Natalie's journalism skills and Kristen's doula background means episodes are both well-structured and grounded in hands-on birth and postpartum experience.

One note: some listeners have mentioned that the ad load at the beginning of episodes can be heavy, with several minutes before the actual content starts. The substance is solid once you get past that. If you're approaching your due date or already in the thick of newborn life and want a podcast that speaks directly to what you're dealing with right now, Newbies is built for exactly that stage.