The Best Pregnancy & Birth Podcasts to Listen to When You’re Expecting
I LOVE a good podcast! I am a bit obsessive about finding the best ones and listen to them when I’m walking my dog Mavis.
If you’re pregnant and wanting to get more informed about the wonders of growing and birthing your baby, as well as how to navigate the medical system, these podcasts are my top picks. Pregnancy can feel overwhelming, and finding trustworthy, evidence‑based voices makes such a difference.
These are my favourite pregnancy and birth podcasts — interesting, illuminating and genuinely brilliant to listen to when you’re expecting.
The Child podcast on BBC Sounds.
Series 1 follows the journey from fertilization through pregnancy, birth, and a baby's first 12 months.
If you want to be inspired by how humans develop and what an amazing job your body is doing growing your baby, this is for you. I recommend all partners listen too.
There are 27 episodes at around 15 mins each, each one perfectly formed.
I especially love:
‘Mother brain’ - Episode 8
Discusses how energetically taxing pregnancy is (your body is working at maximum capacity and doing brilliantly) and the scientific evidence of changes that take place in the maternal brain
‘Due Date’ - Episode 10
About how much is going on at the end of pregnancy, the inaccuracies of due dates and how labour begins.
The Great Birth Rebellion
This is an independent, evidence-based maternity podcast hosted by Australian midwife Dr Melanie Jackson.
If you want help making informed choices about your maternity care and to be up to date with the latest research, this is excellent.
There’s a new episode every week, so you’ll likely find whatever you are interested in knowing more about on there. From induction, breech, baby’s size (too big, too small?), to orgasmic birth and everything in between, it is truly informative, fascinating and useful.
I especially love:
‘Optimising the function of your body during labour’ - Episode 155
Explains the function and physiology of the body and mind in labour and choices you can make to optimise your birth experience. A lot of what Mel discusses will resonate with anyone who has done my hypnobirthing course.
Is your baby too big or too small? - Episode 186
Mothers I teach often get told their baby is either too big or too small during routine scans. That can be anxiety-inducing, especially if interventions start being discussed. This is a must-listen for anyone in that situation.
What if I have an epidural - Episode 213
Because knowing about the pros and cons of epidurals before birth is extremely useful and this gives a good balanced overview
The birth-ed podcast
Conversations between Megan Rossiter and women’s health and parenting experts about all aspects of pregnancy, birth and parenthood. Billed as ‘all the conversations you wish you were having in your antenatal appointments’, it really is packed with info, with episodes on everything from Homebirth to Caesarean Birth, Infant Feeding to Baby Sleep.
I especially love:
‘Evidence-Based’ Maternity Care: Limits, Bias, and How to Navigate It — with Midwife Beth Russell – released 10/10/25
Fascinating and helpful episode for you to understand birth within the context of the NHS system. Includes info on how evidence is created and what you need to know about how to engage with it, as well as practical steps you can take to hold power in the choices you are making for your birth.
If you understand what is influencing the recommendations being made to you, you are able to think more critically and feel more confident in balancing this information with your personal instincts.
Optimal Cord Clamping, with Amanda Burleigh – released 5/7/24
Discussing when to clamp the cord, why delayed cord clamping is better for baby health and tools to help you advocate for this during your birth.
Induction of labour with Dr Sara Wickham – released 6/10/23
Roughly 1 in 3 births in England are induced and it remains the biggest issue that Dr Sara Wickham has encountered during her 30 year career as a midwife and researcher. This episode focuses on helping you answer the questions; how do you know if you actually need or want induction of labour?
The Birth Hour
Whether or not you want to listen to positive birth stories during pregnancy is a very personal decision. If you do, this podcast is great. Real birth stories covering everything from homebirth, VBAC, C‑section and induction.
I especially love:
Rochelle – 2nd baby, homebirth, waterbirth, subchorionic haematoma, ventricular septal defect, hypnobirthing, continuity of caer, en caul birth - episode 054 (11.10.24)
I taught Rochelle Hypnobirthing. Despite challenges during pregnancy, she planned for a homebirth and had a magical experience. I love details like the fact she turned the whole house into a birth cave, her wonderful midwife reassuring her that her warm-up labour wasn’t for nothing and that baby will come once they’ve figured out where they need to be, and her experience of the ejection reflex - all of it really!
Breech VBAC labour (Vaginal birth after caesarean) – Hayley Lagerquist
Inspiring vaginal breech birth story, a rare occurrence following a caesarean. This is a story about believing in yourself and finding a care provider who is able to support you in the way you need them to. Breech without borders is a useful resource mentioned.
I hope these help you feel informed, supported and confident as you prepare for birth.
Here is Mavis showing her approval too.
