Episode 10

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Published on:

2nd Sep 2025

Positive Labor + Exclusively Pumping | Valeria's Birth Story

On the 10th episode of The Labor Line, I’m joined by my friend Valeria, who had only ever held one baby before she had her own! From finding the right circle of friends that helped her feel confident enough to become a mom to utilizing all the tools offered to her from a local pregnancy help center, Valeria went from being a newborn novice to a birthing boss! 

In this episode: 

  • Positive labor with an epidural at 42 weeks 
  • Navigating the complex US healthcare & insurance system as a Peruvian immigrant 
  • Big baby and a subsequent 2nd degree tear 
  • Learning to stand up to negative nurses 
  • The emotional strain of exclusively pumping for 10 months


Valeria’s story is full of laughs and heart and is a great reminder that surrounding yourself with the right people can empower you to do things you never thought possible before. 


I also end the episode by sharing 10 things that I’ve learn from 10 episodes of The Labor Line, so be sure to stick around to the end!  


Full episode transcript available at thelaborline.com/episodes


Chapters:

00:00 - Meet Valeria

08:06 - Pregnancy: Nausea, Birthing Classes, & Community Support

24:44 - Labor: Positive Delivery of a Big Baby With an Epidural at 42 Weeks 

27:40 - Postpartum: Cranky Nurses, Negotiating Medical Bills, & Exclusively Pumping

42:26 - To My Pre-Mom Self…

45:58 - 10 Lessons From 10 Episodes

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About the Podcast

The Labor Line
A mom-to-be's authentic look into the birth experiences of her mom-friends.
The Labor Line is a real, unfiltered birth story podcast hosted by mom-to-be Emily, who was obsessed with birth long before her own was imminent.

Every Tuesday, Emily sits down with her mom friends to hear honest, hilarious, and deeply human stories about pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum. Whether it’s an emotional conversation about breastfeeding struggles, an epic one-push delivery, or a hilarious “wait, did that nurse just call my baby ugly?” moment, no detail is too raw, real, or ridiculous.

This isn’t a clinical breakdown or crunchy birth corner. It’s more like eavesdropping on a late-night call between best friends, complete with laughter, tears, jaw-dropping moments, and sincere conversations about what it actually feels like to be a mom.

Perfect for moms, birth nerds, doulas, expecting parents, or anyone curious about the real side of bringing little people into the world. The Labor Line delivers weekly episodes full of heart, humor, and total honesty.

🎧 New episodes every Tuesday
🩷 Follow on Instagram: @thelaborline

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Keywords: birth stories podcast, real labor stories, pregnancy podcast, postpartum stories, c-section podcast, funny birth podcast, honest motherhood, podcast for moms, women's health podcast, birth podcast hosted by moms

About your host

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Emily Lau

Hey y'all, I'm your host, Emily. I live in South Austin with my amazing husband, Nate, and our perfect pup, Magnolia.

I’ve been fascinated by birth for as long as I can remember — while most kids were up early on Saturday mornings watching cartoons, I was sneaking downstairs to watch birthing shows on TLC 😅.

Studying women’s health in college and training as a doula reminded me just how powerful (and fun) it is to hear birth stories firsthand.

I created the Labor Line to celebrate and elevate these incredible experiences in a chill, accessible way.